English
parallax
Parallax comes from Ancient Greek παράλλαξις ‘alteration’, and goes back to ἀλλάσσω.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀλλάσσωallássō‘to alter’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαραλλάσσωparallássō‘to cause to alternate’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαράλλαξιςparállaxis‘alteration’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600parallaxe
- Englishearliest quotation 1685parallax
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀλλάσσωallássō‘to alter’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαραλλάσσωparallássō‘to cause to alternate’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαράλλαξιςparállaxis‘alteration’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600parallaxe
- Englishearliest quotation 1685parallax
Earliest quotation: 1685, J. Flamsteed, Philosophical Transactions: “[…] Heliocentrick places, to which the Parallaxes being applied,…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘beyond, other’
as, all, old, adult, el, ultimate, element, elder, ultra, alter, ellen, ou, qualification, altitude, alumni, outrage, adolescent, alt, abolish, alpine, altar, alias, alto, alum, alienation, retaliate, auld, alimony, ulterior, alienate, proletariat, alp, inalienable, coalesce, exalt, foetal, althea, aad, eld, altimeter, 59 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos ‘other, another’
else, alien, alternate, adultery, altercation, alibi, altruism, alternation, 33 more
Today it means
noun An apparent shift in the position of two stationary objects relative to each other as viewed by an observer, due to a change in observer position.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἀλλάσσω / parallax