Etymograph

English

Myrmidon

Myrmidon comes from Ancient Greek Μυρμιδόνες ‘a Myrmidon’, from μυρμηδών ‘ant-nest’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *morwi-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*morwi-‘ant’reconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμύρμηξmúrmēx‘ant’next step skipped: Ancient Greek μῠ́ρμηξ
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμυρμηδώνmurmēdṓn‘ant-nest’
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΜυρμιδόνεςMurmidónes‘a Myrmidon’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEMyrmidones
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1855Myrmidon

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*morwi-‘ant’reconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμύρμηξmúrmēx‘ant’next step skipped: Ancient Greek μῠ́ρμηξ
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμυρμηδώνmurmēdṓn‘ant-nest’
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΜυρμιδόνεςMurmidónes‘a Myrmidon’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEMyrmidones
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1855Myrmidon

Earliest quotation: 1855, Thomas Bulfinch: “The Myrmidons were the soldiers of Achilles, in the…”

The story

Folk etymology in Ovid's time derived the tribe's name from μυρμηδών (murmēdṓn, “ant-nest”), from μύρμηξ (múrmēx, “ant”)).folk etymology The source marks this as unproven or a folk etymology. Quoted, not asserted.

Every English word from Proto-Indo-European *morwi-

Today it means

noun One of a fierce tribe or troop who accompanied Achilles, their king, in the Trojan War.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *morwi- / Myrmidon

Shirt and support for this word