English
acoustic
Acoustic comes from Medieval Latin acousticus, from Ancient Greek ἀκουστῐκός ‘of or for hearing’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- ‘to enjoy’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ew-‘to enjoy’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ṓws‘ear’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ḱh₂owsyéti‘to be sharp-eared, to hear well’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*akóuhō‘to hear’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀκούω‘to hear’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀκουστῐκόςakoustĭkós‘of or for hearing’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500acousticus
- Englishearliest quotation 2020acoustic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ew-‘to enjoy’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ṓws‘ear’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ḱh₂owsyéti‘to be sharp-eared, to hear well’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*akóuhō‘to hear’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀκούω‘to hear’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀκουστῐκόςakoustĭkós‘of or for hearing’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500acousticus
- Englishearliest quotation 2020acoustic
Earliest quotation: 2020, 14:45 from the start: “KEY: I've had a banana in banana cake. WATSON:…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- ‘to enjoy’
love, audience, egg, audit, aviation, oval, obey, avid, audible, ey, anesthesia, avian, ovation, aviator, auspicious, aviary, ocarina, avarice, 66 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ṓws ‘ear’
ear, aural, otolaryngology, 41 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ḱh₂owsyéti ‘to be sharp-eared, to hear well’
Today it means
adj Used for soundproofing or modifying sound.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- / acoustic