English
atheism
Atheism comes from Ancient Greek ἄθεος ‘godless’, from θεός ‘god’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ‘to do’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁-‘to do’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰéh₁s‘god, godhead, deity’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁sósreconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*tʰehós‘god, deity’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεόςtheós‘god’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἄθεοςátheos‘godless’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600athéisme
- Englishearliest quotation 1829atheism
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁-‘to do’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰéh₁s‘god, godhead, deity’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁sósreconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*tʰehós‘god, deity’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεόςtheós‘god’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἄθεοςátheos‘godless’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600athéisme
- Englishearliest quotation 1829atheism
Earliest quotation: 1829, John Wesley, Sermons: “What can parents do, and mothers more especially, […]…”
The story
First English attestation dates to 1587 (OED).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ‘to do’
do, fact, deal, hot, defense, fan, benefit, fashion, mid, feature, defence, custom, sufficient, treasury, treasure, theme, ethnic, defendant, ethical, doom, tick, deed, aesthetic, synthetic, auditorium, auditor, thesis, demi, deem, spade, ethic, familial, medial, forfeit, medallion, prefect, certify, ethos, duma, thematic, 115 more
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁s ‘god, godhead, deity’
fair, feast, dis, feral, profanity, fanatic, profane, fane, fayre, 23 more
through Ancient Greek θεός ‘god’
theology, apotheosis, monotheism, polytheism, theist, pantheism, 16 more
Today it means
noun Belief that no deities exist (sometimes including rejection of other religious beliefs).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- / atheism