English
phenom
Phenom comes from English phenomenon ‘remarkable occurrence’, from Ancient Greek φαίνω ‘to cause to appear’, 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 cause to appear’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφαινόμενονphainómenon
- Late Latinmodernphaenomenon
- English1500–presentphenomenon‘remarkable occurrence’
- Englishearliest quotation 2013phenom
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 cause to appear’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφαινόμενονphainómenon
- Late Latinmodernphaenomenon
- English1500–presentphenomenon‘remarkable occurrence’
- Englishearliest quotation 2013phenom
Earliest quotation: 2013, Ytasha L. Womack, Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture: “Jones is a pop-culture phenom whose bold antics, outlandish…”
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 cause to appear’
fantasy, fancy, emphasis, phantom, epiphany, fantasia, tryptophan, phantasm, 45 more
Today it means
noun Someone or something that is phenomenal, especially a promising young player in sports like baseball, American football, basketball, tennis, and golf.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- / phenom