Etymograph

English

kilo-

Kilo- comes from Ancient Greek χίλιοι ‘one thousand’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰes- ‘hand’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰes-‘hand’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰesliyoyreconstructed
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰehliyoi‘thousand’reconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχίλιοιkhílioi‘one thousand’
  5. Englishtodaykilo-

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰes-‘hand’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰesliyoyreconstructed
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰehliyoi‘thousand’reconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχίλιοιkhílioi‘one thousand’
  5. Englishtodaykilo-

The story

The etymologically "correct" form would be chili- or chilo-, resulting in forms such as chiliasme (‘chiliasm’) or chilopode (‘centipede’); but the French, when creating the prefix, had to avoid a possible (standard) pronunciation of chi as /ʃi/, too close to the vulgar verb chier (‘to shit’).

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰes- ‘hand’

host, surgery, surgical, millionaire, garter, chiral, hasta, 40 more

through Ancient Greek χίλιοι ‘one thousand’

kilometre, 2 more

Today it means

prefix In the International System of Units and other metric systems of units, multiplying the unit to which it is attached by a thousand (1000).

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰes- / kilo-

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