Etymograph

English

propolis

Propolis comes from Latin propolis ‘bee glue, propolis’, and goes back to Ancient Greek πρόπολις ‘suburb’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπρόπολιςprópolis‘suburb’
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpropolis‘bee glue, propolis’
  3. Englishtodaysame form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπρόπολιςprópolis‘suburb’
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpropolis‘bee glue, propolis’
  3. Englishtodaysame form

The story

From Latin propolis, from Hellenistic Ancient Greek πρόπολις (própolis, “suburb; propolis”) (apparently because the material was used by bees to extend their hives), from Ancient Greek προ- (pro-, “pro-”) + πόλις (pólis, “city”).

Every English word from Ancient Greek πρόπολις

Today it means

noun An aromatic glue-like substance produced by honeybees from tree resin, waxes, and their own secretions, used in the construction of their hives.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Ancient Greek πρόπολις / propolis

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