English
phosphine
Phosphine comes from Ancient Greek φωσφόρος ‘that which brings light, light-bearing’, from Proto-Hellenic *pʰérō ‘to bear’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰer-‘to bear, carry’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰéreti‘to be carrying’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰérō‘to bear’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφέρωphérō‘to bring, bear, carry’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφῶς‘light’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφωσφόροςphōsphóros‘that which brings light, light-bearing’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEphōsphorus
- English1500–presentphosphorus
- Englishtodayphosphine
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰer-‘to bear, carry’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰéreti‘to be carrying’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰérō‘to bear’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφέρωphérō‘to bring, bear, carry’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφῶς‘light’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφωσφόροςphōsphóros‘that which brings light, light-bearing’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEphōsphorus
- English1500–presentphosphorus
- Englishtodayphosphine
A compound of phosph- + -ine
Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- ‘to bear, carry’
…
Ancient Greek φῶς ‘light’
Ancient Greek φωσφόρος ‘that which brings light, light-bearing’
Latin phōsphorus
English phosphorus
English phosph-
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- ‘to bear, carry’
bar, birth, prefer, broad, bread, suffering, burden, differently, barrel, fortune, bearing, barn, bore, fury, baron, breeze, bark, differentiation, berth, broom, barrow, embargo, indifferent, fret, infertility, ferret, deference, infertile, insufferable, differentially, furtive, bier, deferential, differentiable, bahar, proffer, differentiator, birr, barrette, bairn, 117 more
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti ‘to be carrying’
different, offer, difference, reference, transfer, bear, relative, suffer, translation, relation, relate, extraordinary, differ, referendum, frustration, translate, referee, fertility, strangely, fertile, borne, extravagant, defer, confer, fertilization, frustrate, elated, infer, ablation, elation, infra, extraneous, collation, fertilize, strangeness, dilate, collate, ablative, efferent, oblate, 106 more
through Ancient Greek φέρω ‘to bring, bear, carry’
euphoria, semaphore, dysphoria, 25 more
through Ancient Greek φῶς ‘light’
Today it means
noun A toxic gas, chemical formula PH₃.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- / phosphine