English
convolution
Convolution comes from Latin convolūtus ‘to roll together’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *welH-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*welH-‘to roll, to undulate’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wolwōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvolvō‘to roll, tumble’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconvolvō‘to roll together, up or around’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconvolūtus‘to roll together’
- Englishearliest quotation 1994convolution
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*welH-‘to roll, to undulate’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wolwōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvolvō‘to roll, tumble’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconvolvō‘to roll together, up or around’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconvolūtus‘to roll together’
- Englishearliest quotation 1994convolution
Earliest quotation: 1994, Semen B. Yakubovich, Yurii F. Luchko: “In Chapter 11 we considered H-convolutions of generalized H-transforms.…”
Formed from convolute + -ion
Proto-Indo-European *welH- ‘to roll, to undulate’
Proto-Italic *wolwō
Latin volvō ‘roll’
Latin convolvō ‘to roll together’
Latin convolūtum
English convolute
The story
The mathematical sense is a semantic calque from Faltung.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *welH- ‘to roll, to undulate’
well, walk, wall, valve, vulgar, waltz, helix, divulge, vagrant, wale, gauche, vulgate, iliac, ilium, valvular, valise, 74 more
through Proto-Italic *wolwō
revolve, devolve, devolution, 42 more
through Latin volvō ‘to roll, tumble’
volume, vault, involve, revolution, evolve, evolution, revolt, vulva, voluminous, voluble, involution, 45 more
Today it means
noun A twist or fold.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *welH- / convolution