English
hegemony
Hegemony comes from Ancient Greek ἡγεμονία ‘supremacy or leadership, chief command’, from ἡγέομαι ‘to lead’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂g- ‘to seek out’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*seh₂g-‘to seek out’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἡγέομαιhēgéomai‘to lead’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἡγεμώνhēgemṓn‘a leader, guide, commander, chief’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἡγεμονίαhēgemonía‘supremacy or leadership, chief command’
- Englishearliest quotation 1820hegemony
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*seh₂g-‘to seek out’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἡγέομαιhēgéomai‘to lead’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἡγεμώνhēgemṓn‘a leader, guide, commander, chief’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἡγεμονίαhēgemonía‘supremacy or leadership, chief command’
- Englishearliest quotation 1820hegemony
Earliest quotation: 1820, 1819, Germany and the Revolution: “The idea of a German republic and confederacy like…”
The story
Early 19th-century usage influenced by German Hegemonie.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *seh₂g- ‘to seek out’
seek, sake, sucker, soc, beseech, saya, sagittal, sagacity, presage, 20 more
Today it means
noun Domination, influence, or authority over another, especially by one political group over a society or by one nation over others.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *seh₂g- / hegemony