Etymograph

English

chemist

Chemist comes from French chimiste, from chimie ‘chemistry (the science)’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰew- ‘to pour’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰew-‘to pour’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰéwmn̥reconstructed
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰuməreconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχῠ́μᾰkhŭ́mă‘that which is poured out or flows, fluid’
  5. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEχυμείᾱkhumeíā
  6. Arabicc. 500–presentالْكِيمِيَاءal-kīmiyāʔnext step skipped: Medieval Latin chimista
  7. Medieval Latinmodernalchēmia
  8. New Latinmodernchimia
  9. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600chymie
  10. Frenchc. 1600–presentchimie‘chemistry (the science)’
  11. French, derivedc. 1600–presentchimiste
  12. Englishearliest quotation 1988chemist

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰew-‘to pour’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰéwmn̥reconstructed
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰuməreconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχῠ́μᾰkhŭ́mă‘that which is poured out or flows, fluid’
  5. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEχυμείᾱkhumeíā
  6. Arabicc. 500–presentالْكِيمِيَاءal-kīmiyāʔnext step skipped: Medieval Latin chimista
  7. Medieval Latinmodernalchēmia
  8. New Latinmodernchimia
  9. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600chymie
  10. Frenchc. 1600–presentchimie‘chemistry (the science)’
  11. French, derivedc. 1600–presentchimiste
  12. Englishearliest quotation 1988chemist

Earliest quotation: 1988, Alan Hollinghurst, London: Penguin Books: “It was Oxford now—the matriculation photograph, posed in the…”

first attested First attested 1562, borrowed from French chimiste, from Medieval Latin chimista, from earlier alchimista (literally “alchemist”), from Arabic الْكِيمِيَاء (al-kīmiyāʔ), with article اَلْ (al-) + Ancient Greek χυμεία (khumeía, “art of alloying metals”), from χύμα (khúma, “fluid”), from χυμός (khumós, “juice”), from χέω (khéō, “to pour”) (as stated in the etymology)

The story

First attested 1562, borrowed from French chimiste, from Medieval Latin chimista, from earlier alchimista (literally “alchemist”), from Arabic الْكِيمِيَاء (al-kīmiyāʔ), with article اَلْ (al-) + Ancient Greek χυμεία (khumeía, “art of alloying metals”), from χύμα (khúma, “fluid”), from χυμός (khumós, “juice”), from χέω (khéō, “to pour”). The pronunciation with initial /k/ is based on the Graeco-Latin etymology rather than on the French word, where the pronunciation with /ʃ/ is based on native French orthography. As a synonym for pharmacy, a metonymous use of the proprietor to stand for their shop.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰew- ‘to pour’

god, futile, giddy, futility, gust, gush, geyser, ingot, 23 more

through Ancient Greek χυμείᾱ

alchemy, alchemical, 2 more

Today it means

noun A person who specializes in the science of chemistry, especially at a professional level.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰew- / chemist

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