Etymograph

English

biota

Biota comes from Ancient Greek βιοτή, and goes back to βίος ‘life’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEβίος‘life’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEβιοτήbiotḗ
  3. New Latinc. 1500–1900biota
  4. Englishearliest quotation 2009same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEβίος‘life’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEβιοτήbiotḗ
  3. New Latinc. 1500–1900biota
  4. Englishearliest quotation 2009same form

Earliest quotation: 2009, Andrew Z. Krug et al., Signature of the End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction in the Moder: “Although the broad macroevolutionary consequences of mass extinctions are…”

Linked words

through Proto-Hellenic *gʷīwos

abiotic, 1 more

through Ancient Greek βίος ‘life’

biology, biography, antibiotic, bios, biotic, 15 more

Today it means

noun Synonym of life; Biota; all living things.

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

Etymograph / Ancient Greek βίος / biota

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