English
diacritic
Diacritic comes from Ancient Greek διακριτικός ‘distinguishing, separative’, from κριτικός ‘discerning’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *krey- ‘to sift, separate’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*krey-‘to sift, separate’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kri-n-yé-tireconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kríňňōreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκρῑ́νωkrī́nō‘to judge’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκρῐτής‘judge’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκριτικός‘discerning’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδιακριτικόςdiakritikós‘distinguishing, separative’
- Englishearliest quotation 1965diacritic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*krey-‘to sift, separate’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kri-n-yé-tireconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kríňňōreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκρῑ́νωkrī́nō‘to judge’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκρῐτής‘judge’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκριτικός‘discerning’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδιακριτικόςdiakritikós‘distinguishing, separative’
- Englishearliest quotation 1965diacritic
Earliest quotation: 1965, Arne Zettersten, Lund: C. W. K. Gleerup: “A notable feature in N is the frequent oa…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *krey- ‘to sift, separate’
certain, secretary, secret, crime, criminal, crisis, discrimination, discretion, riddle, discrete, discriminate, discreet, discern, criterion, endocrine, excrement, excretion, incriminate, rime, excrete, ridder, incrimination, recrimination, certitude, 46 more
through Ancient Greek κρῑ́νω ‘to judge’
through Ancient Greek κριτικός ‘discerning’
Today it means
adj Distinguishing.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *krey- / diacritic