English
polytechnic
Polytechnic comes from French polytechnique, from technique ‘technical’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tetḱ- ‘to create, produce’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tetḱ-‘to create, produce’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*téḱ-sneh₂reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτέχνηtékhnē‘art, handicraft’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτεχνικός‘relating to art, artistic, skilful’
- Frenchc. 1600–presenttechnique‘technical’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentpolytechnique
- Englishtodaypolytechnic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tetḱ-‘to create, produce’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*téḱ-sneh₂reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτέχνηtékhnē‘art, handicraft’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτεχνικός‘relating to art, artistic, skilful’
- Frenchc. 1600–presenttechnique‘technical’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentpolytechnique
- Englishtodaypolytechnic
first attested First attested in 1805 (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in 1805.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *tetḱ- ‘to create, produce’
architecture, arch, textile, pretext, tassie, tectonics, tela, 16 more
through Ancient Greek τέχνη ‘art, handicraft’
through Ancient Greek τεχνικός ‘relating to art, artistic, skilful’
through French technique ‘technical’
Today it means
adj That teaches applied arts, sciences, technology, engineering and other academic subjects.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *tetḱ- / polytechnic