Etymograph

English

gorgon

Gorgon comes from Ancient Greek γοργός ‘terrible’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEγοργόςgorgós‘terrible’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΓοργώGorgṓ
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEGorgō
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gorgon
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1670same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEγοργόςgorgós‘terrible’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΓοργώGorgṓ
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEGorgō
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gorgon
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1670same form

Earliest quotation: 1670, John Dryden: “I'll shrowd this Gorgon from all humane view.”

The story

Possibly from the same root as the Sanskrit word "garğ" (गर्जन), which is defined as a guttural sound, similar to the growling of a beast, thus possibly originating as an onomatopoeia.

Every English word from Ancient Greek γοργός

Today it means

noun A vicious female monster from Greek mythology with sharp fangs and hair of living, venomous snakes. One of the three sisters: Medusa, Stheno and Euryale

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

Etymograph / Ancient Greek γοργός / gorgon

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