Etymograph

English

biodynamic

Biodynamic comes from French dynamique ‘in motion, dynamic’, from Ancient Greek δυναμικός ‘able, powerful’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- ‘to fit’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dewh₂-‘to fit’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*dunamaireconstructed
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδῠ́νᾰμαιdŭ́nămai
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδύναμιςdúnamis‘power, might, strength’
  5. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδυναμικόςdunamikós‘able, powerful’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentdynamique‘in motion, dynamic’
  7. English1500–presentdynamic
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1981biodynamic

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dewh₂-‘to fit’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*dunamaireconstructed
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδῠ́νᾰμαιdŭ́nămai
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδύναμιςdúnamis‘power, might, strength’
  5. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδυναμικόςdunamikós‘able, powerful’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentdynamique‘in motion, dynamic’
  7. English1500–presentdynamic
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1981biodynamic

Earliest quotation: 1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology: “This ancient mode of thought exists to this day…”

A compound of bio- + dynamic

Ancient Greek βίος ‘life’

English bio-

Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- ‘to fit’

…

Ancient Greek δῠ́νᾰμαι

Ancient Greek δύναμις ‘power’

Ancient Greek δυναμικός ‘powerful’

French dynamique ‘in motion, dynamic’

English dynamic

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- ‘to fit’

down, town, beautiful, beauty, ben, tool, bonus, teen, rebel, beneficial, optimal, boo, tow, bonnie, beau, optimism, boon, dun, beneficiary, revel, bona, bello, bene, bonny, tine, taw, bauble, dynastic, bonbon, bellicose, 91 more

through Proto-Hellenic *dunamai

dynasty, 49 more

through Ancient Greek δύναμις ‘power, might, strength’

dynamite, dynamo, 54 more

through English dynamic

dynamically, thermodynamic, dynamical, hydrodynamic, psychodynamic, hemodynamic, 45 more

Today it means

adj Of, or relating to the effects of motion, or other change, on (or in) living things.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- / biodynamic