English
synthetic
Synthetic comes from French synthétique, from Ancient Greek συνθετικός ‘skilled in putting together, constructive’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ‘to do’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁-‘to do’root as named
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσῠντῐ́θημῐ
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσύνθεσις‘putting together’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσυνθετικόςsunthetikós‘skilled in putting together, constructive’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsynthétique
- Englishearliest quotation 2007synthetic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁-‘to do’root as named
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσῠντῐ́θημῐ
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσύνθεσις‘putting together’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσυνθετικόςsunthetikós‘skilled in putting together, constructive’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsynthétique
- Englishearliest quotation 2007synthetic
Earliest quotation: 2007, Elsa Brenner, Art House to Get a Campus: “Only plastics and synthetics that cannot be recycled will…”
Formed from synthesis + -ic
Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ‘to put, place’
…
Ancient Greek τίθημι ‘set, place’
Ancient Greek συντίθημι ‘put together, combine’
Ancient Greek σύνθεσις ‘a putting together’
Latin synthesis ‘a collection or reunion of many objects of…’
English synthesis
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ‘to do’
do, fact, deal, hot, fair, defense, fan, benefit, fashion, feature, mid, defence, custom, treasury, theme, treasure, sufficient, feast, defendant, doom, ethnic, deed, dis, thesis, theology, ethical, auditorium, auditor, demi, tick, deem, spade, forfeit, feral, atheist, aesthetic, familial, medial, atheism, medallion, 130 more
Today it means
adj Of, or relating to synthesis.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- / synthetic