English
phenol
Phenol comes from French phène, from Ancient Greek φαίνω ‘to clear’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to shine, glow light’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to shine, glow light’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰh₂nyétireconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰáňňō‘to appear’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφαίνωphaínō‘to clear’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentphène
- Englishtodayphenol
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to shine, glow light’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰh₂nyétireconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰáňňō‘to appear’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφαίνωphaínō‘to clear’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentphène
- Englishtodayphenol
Equivalent to pheno- + -ol
Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to shine, glow light’
Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂nyéti
Proto-Hellenic *pʰáňňō ‘to appear’
Ancient Greek φαίνω ‘to bring to light, make appear’
English pheno-
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to shine, glow light’
phone, focus, professor, famous, fuel, favor, favourite, ban, fate, ben, fame, profession, fatal, bee, fairy, fabulous, abandon, infant, photographer, confession, confess, beacon, beck, symphony, boon, eff, fab, fay, bane, fable, foyer, banish, buoy, nefarious, profess, banal, infamy, prophetic, bene, cacophony, 120 more
through Proto-Hellenic *pʰáňňō ‘to appear’
through Ancient Greek φαίνω ‘to clear’
fantasy, fancy, emphasis, phantom, epiphany, fantasia, tryptophan, phantasm, 45 more
Today it means
noun A caustic, poisonous, white crystalline compound, C₆H₅OH, derived from benzene and used in resins, plastics, and pharmaceuticals and in dilute form as a disinfectant and antiseptic; once called carbolic acid
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- / phenol