English
cosmic
Cosmic comes from Ancient Greek κοσμικός ‘of the world, of the universe’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ḱens- ‘to announce, to proclaim’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱens-‘to announce, to proclaim’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kónsmosreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκόσμ(ος)
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκοσμικόςkosmikós‘of the world, of the universe’
- Englishearliest quotation 1874cosmic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱens-‘to announce, to proclaim’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kónsmosreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκόσμ(ος)
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκοσμικόςkosmikós‘of the world, of the universe’
- Englishearliest quotation 1874cosmic
Earliest quotation: 1874, John Tyndall, Inaugural Address before the British Association: “The human understanding, for example—the faculty which Mr. Spencer…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱens- ‘to announce, to proclaim’
census, charm, censor, censure, cosmetics, 11 more
through Proto-Hellenic *kónsmos
Today it means
adj Of or from or pertaining to the cosmos or universe.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱens- / cosmic