Etymograph

English

acacia

Acacia comes from Ancient Greek ἀκακία ‘shittah tree’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀκακία1akakía‘shittah tree’
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEacacia1
  3. Englishtodayacacia1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English acacia

Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀκακίαWiktionary, English acaciaakakía‘shittah tree’
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEacaciaWiktionary, English acacia
  3. EnglishtodayacaciaWiktionary, English acacia

first attested First attested before 1398 (as stated in Wiktionary’s etymology)

The story

First attested before 1398.

Full etymology on Wiktionary

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- ‘sharp’

hear, edge, egg, ear, hammer, eager, axe, acid, acute, oxide, vinegar, mediocre, acne, mediocrity, paragon, acetate, acupuncture, hark, exacerbate, acumen, acme, acuity, roselle, acyl, acrimony, rosacea, exacerbation, acerbic, acrid, 72 more

Today it means

noun A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “acacia”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἀκακία / acacia

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