English
anencephalous
Anencephalous comes from Ancient Greek ἀνεγκέφαλος ‘brainless’, from κεφᾰλή ‘head’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-l̥.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰebʰ-l̥‘head’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰepʰəlā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκεφᾰλή‘head’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐγκέφαλοςenképhalos‘brain’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀνεγκέφαλοςanenképhalos‘brainless’
- Englishearliest quotation 1857anencephalous
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 BCEκεφᾰλή‘head’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐγκέφαλοςenképhalos‘brain’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀνεγκέφαλοςanenképhalos‘brainless’
- Englishearliest quotation 1857anencephalous
Earliest quotation: 1857, Robert Bentley Todd: “Similar loops were observed by the same anatomist in…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ- ‘to give’
through Proto-Hellenic *kʰepʰəlā́
Today it means
adj Without a brain.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-l̥ / anencephalous