English
kudos
Kudos comes from Ancient Greek κῦδος ‘praise, renown’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewh₁- ‘to perceive, pay attention’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kewh₁-‘to perceive, pay attention’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκῦδοςkûdos‘praise, renown’
- Englishearliest quotation 1920kudos
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kewh₁-‘to perceive, pay attention’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκῦδοςkûdos‘praise, renown’
- Englishearliest quotation 1920kudos
Earliest quotation: 1920, Agatha Christie: “Well, I will tell you this. Use your warrant:…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewh₁- ‘to perceive, pay attention’
Today it means
noun Praise; accolades.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewh₁- / kudos