English
kathenotheism
Kathenotheism comes from Ancient Greek καθ᾽ ἕνα ‘one by one’, from θεός ‘god’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ‘to do’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁-‘to do’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰéh₁s‘god, godhead, deity’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁sósreconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*tʰehós‘god, deity’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεόςtheós‘god’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκαθ᾽ ἕναkath’ héna‘one by one’
- Englishtodaykathenotheism
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁-‘to do’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰéh₁s‘god, godhead, deity’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁sósreconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*tʰehós‘god, deity’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεόςtheós‘god’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκαθ᾽ ἕναkath’ héna‘one by one’
- Englishtodaykathenotheism
The story
Coined 19th century by Max Müller from the phrase Ancient Greek καθ’ ἕνα (kath’ héna, “one by one”) and the word θεός (theós, “god”), following theism, extending the prior coinage henotheism by Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling which he had himself popularised.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ‘to do’
do, fact, deal, hot, fan, fashion, mid, defense, benefit, feature, custom, defence, theme, treasury, sufficient, ethnic, treasure, ethical, defendant, doom, tick, aesthetic, deed, synthetic, thesis, auditorium, auditor, demi, ethic, deem, spade, familial, medial, forfeit, ethos, medallion, prefect, certify, duma, thematic, 113 more
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁s ‘god, godhead, deity’
fair, feast, dis, feral, fanatic, profanity, profane, fane, fayre, 21 more
through Ancient Greek θεός ‘god’
theology, atheist, atheism, apotheosis, polytheism, monotheism, theist, pantheism, 14 more
Today it means
noun Belief that multiple deities exist, and different deities are supreme among them at different times.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- / kathenotheism