English
Phoenix
Phoenix comes from Latin phoenīx ‘phoenix (bird)’, from Ancient Greek φοῖνῐξ ‘purple or crimson’, and ultimately from Egyptian bnw ‘phoenix, Bennu bird’.
- Egyptianc. 3200 BCE–600 CEbnw‘phoenix, Bennu bird’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφοῖνῐξphoînĭx‘purple or crimson’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEphoenīx‘phoenix (bird)’
- Englishearliest quotation 2025Phoenix
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Egyptianc. 3200 BCE–600 CEbnw‘phoenix, Bennu bird’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφοῖνῐξphoînĭx‘purple or crimson’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEphoenīx‘phoenix (bird)’
- Englishearliest quotation 2025Phoenix
Earliest quotation: 2025, Another WNBA game disrupted by sex toy thrown on court in Ch: “A man was arrested Saturday in College Park, Georgia,…”
Every English word from Egyptian bnw
Today it means
name A mythical firebird; especially the sacred one from ancient Egyptian mythology.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Egyptian bnw / Phoenix