English
auto-
Auto- comes from Ancient Greek αὐτός ‘self’, from αὖ ‘Again, anew, afresh, in turn’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ew‘again’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEαὖaû‘Again, anew, afresh, in turn’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτόνtón
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEαὐτόςautós‘self’
- Englishtodayauto-
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ew‘again’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEαὖaû‘Again, anew, afresh, in turn’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτόνtón
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEαὐτόςautós‘self’
- Englishtodayauto-
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew ‘again’
through Ancient Greek αὐτός ‘self’
Another origin of auto-
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*men-‘to think, mind’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*mn̥tósreconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*mətósreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEαὐτόμᾰτοςautómătos‘self-willed, unbidden’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEαὐτόμᾰτονautómăton
- Classical Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEautomatum
- New Latinmodernautomaticus
- English1500–presentautomatic
- Englishtodayauto-
Another origin of auto-
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*m(y)ewh₁-‘to move’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*m(y)owh₁éyetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moweō‘to move’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmoveō‘to move, stir, set in motion’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōbili
- Frenchc. 1600–presentmobile
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentautomobile‘automotive’
- English1500–presentsame form‘self-propelled’
- Englishtodayauto-
In later formations influenced by auto (‘automobile’).
Today it means
prefix Reflexive, regarding or to oneself.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew / auto-