Etymograph

English

euphorbium

Euphorbium comes from Ancient Greek εὐφόρβιον ‘resin spurge’, from Εὔφορβος ‘Euphorbus, physician to the Mauretanian king…’, and ultimately from Proto-Hellenic *pʰorgʷā́.

  1. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰorgʷā́reconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφορβή‘fodder’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΕὔφορβοςEúphorbos‘Euphorbus, physician to the Mauretanian king Juba II’
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEεὐφόρβιονeuphórbion‘resin spurge’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEeuphorbium
  6. Englishtodaysame form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰorgʷā́reconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφορβή‘fodder’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΕὔφορβοςEúphorbos‘Euphorbus, physician to the Mauretanian king Juba II’
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEεὐφόρβιονeuphórbion‘resin spurge’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEeuphorbium
  6. Englishtodaysame form

The story

The name is from εὔφορβος (eúphorbos, “well-fed”), from εὖ (eû, “well”) + φορβή (phorbḗ, “food, fodder”).

Every English word from Proto-Hellenic *pʰorgʷā́

Today it means

noun An acrid dull yellow or brown resin consisting of the concreted milky juice of several species of Euphorbia, formerly used as a purgative and emetic.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Hellenic *pʰorgʷā́ / euphorbium

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