English
planktonic
Planktonic comes from Ancient Greek πλαγκτόν ‘drifting’, and goes back to πλάζω ‘to cause to wander, drive astray’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπλάζωplázō‘to cause to wander, drive astray’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπλάζομαιplázomai‘to wander, drift’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπλαγκτόνplanktón‘drifting’
- Englishearliest quotation 2004planktonic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπλάζωplázō‘to cause to wander, drive astray’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπλάζομαιplázomai‘to wander, drift’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπλαγκτόνplanktón‘drifting’
- Englishearliest quotation 2004planktonic
Earliest quotation: 2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth: “Tiny shells of planktonic animals rain down from the…”
Formed from plankton + -ic
Ancient Greek πλάζω ‘I turn aside, wander’
Ancient Greek πλαγκτός ‘drifter’
German Plankton
English plankton
Linked words
through Ancient Greek πλήσσω ‘to strike, smite’
Today it means
adj Of or pertaining to plankton.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek πλάζω / planktonic