English
neon
Neon comes from Ancient Greek νέος ‘new’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *nu ‘now’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*nu‘now’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*néwos‘new’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*newosreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEνέοςnéos‘new’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEνέονnéonneuter of νέος
- Englishearliest quotation 1954neon
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*nu‘now’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*néwos‘new’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*newosreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEνέοςnéos‘new’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEνέονnéonneuter of νέος
- Englishearliest quotation 1954neon
Earliest quotation: 1954, Ian Fleming, Midnight Among The Worms: “There were all kinds - Swordtails, Guppies, Platys, Terras…”
Equivalent to neo- + -on
Proto-Indo-European *nu ‘now’
Proto-Indo-European *néwos ‘new’
Proto-Hellenic *néwos ‘new’
Ancient Greek νέος ‘young’
English neo-
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *nu ‘now’
renovation, innovate, renovate, innovator, noo, telenovela, novation, 11 more
through Proto-Indo-European *néwos ‘new’
new, novel, innovation, newly, nova, newer, novice, nuevo, newness, novitiate, 16 more
Today it means
noun The chemical element (symbol Ne) with an atomic number of 10. The second of the noble gases, it is a colourless, odorless inert gas.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *nu / neon