English
sinfonietta
Sinfonietta comes from Italian sinfonietta ‘diminutive of sinfonia’, from sinfonia ‘symphony’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to speak’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to speak’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰoh₂-néh₂reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰōnā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφωνή‘sound, tone’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσῠ́μφωνος‘agreeing in sound, harmonious’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσυμφωνία‘agreement in sound, symphony’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsymphōnia‘an agreement of sounds’
- Italianc. 1300–presentsinfonia‘symphony’
- Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentsinfonietta‘diminutive of sinfonia’
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to speak’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰoh₂-néh₂reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pʰōnā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφωνή‘sound, tone’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσῠ́μφωνος‘agreeing in sound, harmonious’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσυμφωνία‘agreement in sound, symphony’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsymphōnia‘an agreement of sounds’
- Italianc. 1300–presentsinfonia‘symphony’
- Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentsinfonietta‘diminutive of sinfonia’
- Englishtodaysame form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to speak’
professor, famous, focus, fuel, ben, phase, favor, favourite, ban, fantasy, fate, fancy, fame, photographer, bee, fairy, fabulous, emphasis, phenomenon, fatal, profession, abandon, phantom, beck, infant, beacon, confess, eff, fab, fay, boon, bane, epiphany, fable, prophetic, buoy, nefarious, profess, foyer, banish, 121 more
through Proto-Hellenic *pʰōnā́
saxophone, gramophone, phoneme, 14 more
through Ancient Greek φωνή ‘sound, tone’
phone, cacophony, phonon, euphonium, 17 more
through Latin symphōnia ‘an agreement of sounds’
Today it means
noun A small-scale symphony (either in length or size of orchestra needed).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- / sinfonietta