English
synonym
Synonym comes from Latin synōnymum, and goes back to Ancient Greek συνώνυμος ‘synonymous’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυνώνυμοςsunṓnumos‘synonymous’next step skipped: Ancient Greek σῠνώνῠμος
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσυνώνυμονsunṓnumonneuter singular form of συνώνυμος
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsynōnymum
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sinonyme
- Englishearliest quotation 1848synonym
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυνώνυμοςsunṓnumos‘synonymous’next step skipped: Ancient Greek σῠνώνῠμος
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσυνώνυμονsunṓnumonneuter singular form of συνώνυμος
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsynōnymum
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sinonyme
- Englishearliest quotation 1848synonym
Earliest quotation: 1848, United Service Magazine and Naval Milita: “The fair fame of this good Knight has suffered…”
A compound of σύν ‘with’ + ὄνομα ‘name’
Proto-Hellenic *ksún ‘beside, with’
Ancient Greek σύν ‘with’
Hittite ḫannaⁱ- ‘to sue, judge’
Proto-Indo-European *h₁nómn̥ ‘name’
Proto-Hellenic *ónomə ‘name’
Ancient Greek ὄνομα ‘name’
Every English word from Ancient Greek συνώνυμος
Today it means
noun A term (word or phrase) which is synonymous with others.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek συνώνυμος / synonym