English

protosyllable

From proto- + syllable.

Proto-Indo-European *pér ‘through’

Proto-Indo-European *pró ‘forwards, before’

Proto-Hellenic *pró

Ancient Greek πρό ‘before’

Ancient Greek πρῶτος ‘first’

Proto-Hellenic *hlagʷ-

…

Latin syllaba

Old French sillebe

Anglo-Norman sillable

Middle English syllable

Today it means

noun A vocalization in speech that is the precursor to a syllable.

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

Etymograph / protosyllable