English
acephalus
Acephalus comes from Latin acephalus ‘without a head, chief or leader’, from Ancient Greek ἀκέφαλος ‘headless’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-l̥ ‘head’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰebʰ-l̥‘head’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰepʰəlā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκεφαλή‘head’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀκέφαλος‘headless’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEacephalus‘without a head, chief or leader’
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰebʰ-l̥‘head’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰepʰəlā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκεφαλή‘head’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀκέφαλος‘headless’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEacephalus‘without a head, chief or leader’
- Englishtodaysame form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ- ‘to give’
through Ancient Greek κεφαλή ‘head’
Today it means
noun A fetus affected by acephaly.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-l̥ / acephalus