English
scalene
Scalene comes from Late Latin scalēnus ‘of unequal sides’, and goes back to Ancient Greek σκᾰληνός.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσκᾰληνόςskălēnós‘uneven, unequal’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEscalēnus‘of unequal sides’
- Englishtodayscalene
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσκᾰληνόςskălēnós‘uneven, unequal’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEscalēnus‘of unequal sides’
- Englishtodayscalene
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)kel- ‘to curve, bend’
cylinder, colon, chalice, colic, scoliosis, skelly, calender, 16 more
Today it means
adj Having sides all unequal in length.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek σκᾰληνός / scalene