English
aerial
Aerial comes from Ancient Greek ἀέριος ‘in the mist or thick air of morning’, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewsér ‘in the direction of dawn, east’, and ultimately from *h₂ews-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ews-‘dawn’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ewsér‘in the direction of dawn, east’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*auhḗr‘morning mist’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀήρaḗr‘air’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀέριοςaérios‘in the mist or thick air of morning’
- Englishearliest quotation 1714aerial
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ews-‘dawn’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ewsér‘in the direction of dawn, east’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*auhḗr‘morning mist’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀήρaḗr‘air’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀέριοςaérios‘in the mist or thick air of morning’
- Englishearliest quotation 1714aerial
Earliest quotation: 1714, Bernard Mandeville: “the great Recompence in view, for which the most…”
Formed from āerius + -al
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- ‘dawn’
or, east, exhaust, aurora, aureus, aural, aurelia, austral, aurum, oriel, oriole, 59 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewsér ‘in the direction of dawn, east’
easter, aura, eastward, aeroplane, 16 more
through Proto-Hellenic *auhḗr ‘morning mist’
air, plane, aria, aero, 14 more
through Ancient Greek ἀήρ ‘air’
Today it means
adj Living or taking place in the air.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- / aerial