Etymograph

English

micron

Micron comes from Ancient Greek μικρός ‘small’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμικρόςmikrós‘small’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμικρόνmikrónneuter of μικρός
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentmicron
  4. Englishearliest quotation 2018same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμικρόςmikrós‘small’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμικρόνmikrónneuter of μικρός
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentmicron
  4. Englishearliest quotation 2018same form

Earliest quotation: 2018, Alexander Klotz, Microcannons firing Nanobullets: “The microcannon was seen moving at about a micron…”

Every English word from Ancient Greek μικρός

Another origin of micron

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)meyg-‘small, thin, delicate’uncertain
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμικρόςmikrós‘small’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμικρόνmikrónneuter of μικρός
  4. Englishtodaymicron

Today it means

noun Synonym of micrometre (“one-millionth of a metre”).

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

Etymograph / Ancient Greek μικρός / micron

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