Etymograph

English

acephal

Acephal comes from Ancient Greek ἀκέφαλος ‘headless’, from κεφαλή ‘head’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-l̥.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰebʰ-l̥‘head’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰepʰəlā́reconstructed
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκεφαλήkephalḗ‘head’
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀκέφαλοςaképhalos‘headless’
  5. Englishtodayacephal

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰebʰ-l̥‘head’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰepʰəlā́reconstructed
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκεφαλήkephalḗ‘head’
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀκέφαλοςaképhalos‘headless’
  5. Englishtodayacephal

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ- ‘to give’

give, gave, gift, 17 more

through Ancient Greek κεφαλή ‘head’

hydrocephalus, cephalic, 10 more

Today it means

noun One of the Acephala.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-l̥ / acephal

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