English
phonon
Phonon comes from Ancient Greek φωνή ‘sound’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to speak’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to speak’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰoh₂-néh₂reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰōnā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφωνήphōnḗ‘sound’
- Englishtodayphonon
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to speak’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰoh₂-néh₂reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰōnā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφωνήphōnḗ‘sound’
- Englishtodayphonon
Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- ‘on’
Proto-Germanic *an ‘on’
Proto-West Germanic *ana
Old English on ‘on’
Middle English on ‘on’
English on
The story
Modelled after photon.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to speak’
focus, professor, famous, fuel, ben, favor, favourite, ban, fantasy, fate, fancy, fame, phase, fatal, bee, fairy, fabulous, infant, emphasis, profession, photographer, abandon, beck, confession, confess, phantom, phenomenon, beacon, eff, fab, fay, bane, fable, boon, foyer, banish, buoy, nefarious, prophetic, epiphany, 121 more
through Proto-Hellenic *pʰōnā́
saxophone, gramophone, phoneme, 14 more
through Ancient Greek φωνή ‘sound’
Another origin of phonon
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to speak’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰoh₂-néh₂reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰōnā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφωνήphōnḗ‘sound’
- Englishtodayphonon
Today it means
noun The quantum of acoustic or vibrational energy (sound), considered a discrete particle rather than a wave.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- / phonon