English
pelagic
Pelagic comes from Ancient Greek πέλαγος ‘sea’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπέλαγοςpélagos‘sea’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπελαγικόςpelagikós
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpelagicus
- Englishearliest quotation 1983pelagic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπέλαγοςpélagos‘sea’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπελαγικόςpelagikós
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpelagicus
- Englishearliest quotation 1983pelagic
Earliest quotation: 1983, Richard Ellis, The Book of Sharks: “Besides, seeing a shark in an aquarium tank is…”
Equivalent to -pelag + -ic
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- ‘flat, broad, plain’
field, floor, explain, plane, explanation, palm, plain, clan, explanatory, fluke, parma, playa, placenta, planar, flounder, esplanade, palatine, placate, lech, polonium, implacable, plantar, flay, floe, purdah, veld, llano, planta, 49 more
through Ancient Greek πέλαγος ‘sea’
Today it means
adj Living in the open sea rather than in coastal or inland waters.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek πέλαγος / pelagic