English
phase
Phase comes from New Latin phasis, from Greek φάσις ‘appearance’, from φαίνω ‘to bring to light, appear’, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to shine’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to shine’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰh₂nyétireconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰáňňō‘to appear’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφαίνω‘to bring to light; to appear’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφάσιςphásis‘appearance’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900phasis
- Englishearliest quotation 1934phase
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to shine’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰh₂nyétireconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰáňňō‘to appear’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφαίνω‘to bring to light; to appear’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφάσιςphásis‘appearance’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900phasis
- Englishearliest quotation 1934phase
Earliest quotation: 1934, Ernest Bramah: “It would have been a simple enough move to…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to shine, glow light’
focus, phone, professor, famous, fuel, ben, favor, favourite, ban, fate, fame, profession, photographer, fatal, bee, fairy, fabulous, abandon, infant, confession, confess, beacon, beck, symphony, boon, eff, fab, fay, bane, fable, foyer, banish, buoy, nefarious, prophetic, profess, bene, banal, infamy, prophesy, 116 more
through Proto-Hellenic *pʰáňňō ‘to appear’
fancy, fantasy, phenomenon, emphasis, phantom, epiphany, fantasia, phenomenology, phenomenally, phenol, phenom, tryptophan, phantasm, 42 more
Today it means
noun A distinguishable part of a sequence or cycle occurring over time.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- / phase