English
gnomology
Gnomology comes from Ancient Greek γνώμη ‘judgement, maxim’, from λέγω ‘gather, pick up’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leǵ-‘to collect, gather’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*légō‘to gather’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλέγωlégō‘gather, pick up’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEγνώμηgnṓmē‘judgement, maxim’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEγνωμολογίαgnōmología
- Englishearliest quotation 1645gnomology
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leǵ-‘to collect, gather’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*légō‘to gather’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλέγωlégō‘gather, pick up’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEγνώμηgnṓmē‘judgement, maxim’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEγνωμολογίαgnōmología
- Englishearliest quotation 1645gnomology
Earliest quotation: 1645, John Milton: “wisest men have also taught in their ethical precepts…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- ‘to collect, gather’
election, collection, lesson, select, elite, eligible, collect, elect, logic, elegant, legion, coil, negligence, negligible, apology, trilogy, negligent, leach, diligent, analogy, sociology, logos, physiology, terminology, pathology, cull, logistic, archaeologist, pathologist, prologue, legation, monologue, eulogy, lignite, lignin, epistemology, etymology, ineligibility, homologous, etiology, 162 more
through Proto-Hellenic *légō ‘to gather’
through Ancient Greek λέγω ‘gather, pick up’
technology, catalogue, lexicon, lexical, epilogue, astrology, dialectic, alexia, lexis, gynecologist, cosmology, dialogic, 19 more
through Ancient Greek γνώμη ‘judgement, maxim’
Today it means
noun A collection of, or a treatise on, maxims, grave sentences, or reflections.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- / gnomology