English
trope
Trope comes from Latin tropus ‘a figurative use of a word, a trope’, from Ancient Greek τρόπος ‘a manner, style, turn, way’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *trep-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*trep-‘to turn’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτρέπω‘turn, divert, turn back, rout an enemy’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτρόποςtrópos‘a manner, style, turn, way’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtropus‘a figurative use of a word, a trope’
- Englishearliest quotation 1711trope
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*trep-‘to turn’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτρέπω‘turn, divert, turn back, rout an enemy’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτρόποςtrópos‘a manner, style, turn, way’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtropus‘a figurative use of a word, a trope’
- Englishearliest quotation 1711trope
Earliest quotation: 1711, December?, Jonathan Swift: “Since the tories have thus disappointed my hopes, /…”.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *trep- ‘to turn’
thrive, intrepid, trepidation, turpitude, 31 more
through Ancient Greek τρέπω ‘turn, divert, turn back, rout an enemy’
through Latin tropus ‘a figurative use of a word, a trope’
Today it means
noun Something recurring across a genre or type of art or literature; a motif.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *trep- / trope