Etymograph

English

limma

Limma comes from Latin limma ‘a semitone’, and goes back to Ancient Greek λείπω ‘to leave, to quit’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλείπωleípō‘to leave, to quit’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEλεῖμμα‘a semitone, a small musical interval’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElimma‘a semitone’
  4. Englishtodaysame form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλείπωleípō‘to leave, to quit’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEλεῖμμα‘a semitone, a small musical interval’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElimma‘a semitone’
  4. Englishtodaysame form

Linked words

through Ancient Greek λείπω ‘to leave, to quit’

elliptical, elliptic, ellipse, ecliptic, ellipsis, 3 more

Today it means

noun Any of several small musical intervals, such as the semitone. Most commonly referrs to the diatonic semitone or minor second, which has a ratio of approximately 16/15 or 27/25 in meantone temperaments or 256/243 in Pythagorean tuning.

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

Etymograph / Ancient Greek λείπω / limma

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