English
typhus
Typhus comes from New Latin typhus ‘a form, type, or character of a fever’, from Ancient Greek τύφω ‘to smoke’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰew- ‘scatter like dust’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰew-‘scatter like dust’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰewbʰ-‘to sink in’reconstructedextended form of *dʰew-
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτύφωtúphō‘to smoke’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτῦφοςtûphos‘fever, stupor’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900typhus‘a form, type, or character of a fever’
- Englishearliest quotation 2019same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰew-‘scatter like dust’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰewbʰ-‘to sink in’reconstructedextended form of *dʰew-
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτύφωtúphō‘to smoke’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEτῦφοςtûphos‘fever, stupor’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900typhus‘a form, type, or character of a fever’
- Englishearliest quotation 2019same form
Earliest quotation: 2019, Bill Bryson, The Body: A Guide for Occupants: “Typhoid and typhus have similar names and symptoms, but…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰew- ‘scatter like dust’
death, dead, die, funeral, dusty, doze, dwindle, funerary, 3 more
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- ‘to sink in’
deep, bottom, fund, foundation, depth, dumb, founder, dave, dip, deaf, fond, bot, dove, dub, bourne, butte, doof, 24 more
Today it means
noun Any of several similar diseases, characterised by high recurrent fever, caused by Rickettsia bacteria. Not to be confused with typhoid fever.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰew- / typhus