English
gymnosophist
Gymnosophist comes from Ancient Greek γυμνοσοφιστής ‘gymnosophist, one of the ancient Indian…’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEγυμνοσοφιστήςgumnosophistḗs‘gymnosophist, one of the ancient Indian ascetics reported in antiquity to forgo clothing’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgymnosophista
- Frenchc. 1600–presentgymnosophiste
- Englishearliest quotation 1973gymnosophist
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEγυμνοσοφιστήςgumnosophistḗs‘gymnosophist, one of the ancient Indian ascetics reported in antiquity to forgo clothing’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgymnosophista
- Frenchc. 1600–presentgymnosophiste
- Englishearliest quotation 1973gymnosophist
Earliest quotation: 1973, Patrick O'Brian: “I was speaking today with an unclothed Hindu religious,…”
A compound of γυμνός ‘naked’ + σοφιστής ‘sophist’
Proto-Indo-European *negʷ- ‘to be naked’
Proto-Indo-European *nogʷós ‘naked’
Proto-Indo-European *nogʷnós
Proto-Hellenic *gumnós ‘naked, nude’
Ancient Greek γυμνός ‘naked’
Ancient Greek σοφός ‘wise’
Ancient Greek σοφίζω ‘to become wise’
Ancient Greek σοφιστής ‘sophist’
Every English word from Ancient Greek γυμνοσοφιστής
Today it means
noun One of a school of ancient Indian ascetic philosophers, reported in antiquity, who wore little clothing; a mystic.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek γυμνοσοφιστής / gymnosophist