English
biography
Biography comes from Ancient Greek βιογραφίᾱ, and goes back to βίος ‘life’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEβίος‘life’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEβιογραφίᾱbiographíā
- New Latinmodernbiographia
- Englishtodaybiography
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEβίος‘life’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEβιογραφίᾱbiographíā
- New Latinmodernbiographia
- Englishtodaybiography
A compound of γρᾰ́φω ‘to scratch, cut into’ + γραφή ‘drawing’
Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- ‘to carve’
Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō ‘to scratch, cut or carve into’
Ancient Greek γρᾰ́φω ‘to scratch, cut into’
Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- ‘to carve’
Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō ‘to scratch, cut or carve into’
Ancient Greek γρᾰ́φω ‘to scratch, cut into’
Ancient Greek γραφή ‘drawing’
Linked words
through Ancient Greek βίος ‘life’
Today it means
noun A person's life story, especially one published.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek βίος / biography