Etymograph

English

ecliptic

Ecliptic comes from Latin eclīptica.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEeclīptica
  2. Englishtodayecliptic

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEeclīptica
  2. Englishtodayecliptic

The story

So named because an eclipse can occur only when the Moon lies on this plane.

Every English word from Latin eclīptica

Another origin of ecliptic

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leykʷ-‘to leave behind’reconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλείπω‘to leave’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐκλείπω‘to leave out, pass over’
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐκλειπτικόςekleiptikós‘ecliptic, ecliptical’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEeclīpticus‘eclipse’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ecliptik
  7. Englishtodayecliptic

Today it means

noun The great circle on the celestial sphere that is the mean apparent path of the sun as viewed from the earth.

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

Etymograph / Latin eclīptica / ecliptic

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