Etymograph

English

Seric

Seric comes from Ancient Greek Σηρικός, from Σῆρες ‘Seres’, and ultimately from σήρ ‘silkworm’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσήρsḗr‘silkworm’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΣῆρεςSêres‘Seres’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΣηρικόςSērikós
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CESēricus
  5. EnglishtodaySeric

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσήρsḗr‘silkworm’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΣῆρεςSêres‘Seres’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΣηρικόςSērikós
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CESēricus
  5. EnglishtodaySeric

Formed from Seres + -ic

Ancient Greek σήρ ‘silkworm’

Ancient Greek Σῆρες ‘the North Chinese’

Latin Sērēs

English Seres

Linked words

through Ancient Greek Σηρικός

serge, silken, 3 more

through Latin Sēricus

silk, serine, 6 more

Today it means

adj Synonym of Chinese or Northern Chinese, in the context of ancient Greco-Roman knowledge of China.

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

Etymograph / Ancient Greek σήρ / Seric

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