English
dactyl
Dactyl comes from Latin dactylus ‘finger-like’, and goes back to Ancient Greek δάκτυλος.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδάκτυλοςdáktulos‘finger’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdactylus‘finger-like’
- Englishearliest quotation 1822dactyl
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδάκτυλοςdáktulos‘finger’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdactylus‘finger-like’
- Englishearliest quotation 1822dactyl
Earliest quotation: 1822, Quevedo Redivivus pseudonym; Lord Byron, The Vision of Judgment: “Now the Bard, glad to get an audience, […]…”
Linked words
through Latin dactylus ‘finger-like’
Today it means
noun A metrical foot of three syllables of the shape | – ⏖ |
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek δάκτυλος / dactyl