Etymograph

English

aporetic

Aporetic comes from Ancient Greek ἀπορητικός, from ἄπορος ‘impassable’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to pass, go forth’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-1‘to pass, go forth’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pér-ye-ti1reconstructedye-present of *per-
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*péryō1reconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπείρω2peírō‘to pierce, to run through’
  5. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπόρος3‘passage’o-grade of πείρω
  6. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄπορος4‘impassable’
  7. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀπορητικός4aporētikós
  8. Frenchc. 1600–presentaporétique4
  9. Englishtodayaporetic4

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek πείρω
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek πόρος
  3. 3 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek ἄπορος
  4. 4 Wiktionary, English aporetic

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-Wiktionary, Ancient Greek πείρω‘to pass, go forth’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pér-ye-tiWiktionary, Ancient Greek πείρωreconstructedye-present of *per-
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*péryōWiktionary, Ancient Greek πείρωreconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπείρωWiktionary, Ancient Greek πόροςpeírō‘to pierce, to run through’
  5. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπόροςWiktionary, Ancient Greek ἄπορος‘passage’o-grade of πείρω
  6. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄποροςWiktionary, English aporetic‘impassable’
  7. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀπορητικόςWiktionary, English aporeticaporētikós
  8. Frenchc. 1600–presentaporétiqueWiktionary, English aporetic
  9. EnglishtodayaporeticWiktionary, English aporetic

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to pass, go forth’

first, before, far, per, further, private, support, price, fear, press, primary, prime, report, practice, pre, opportunity, prior, prize, appreciate, pregnant, afford, transport, praise, sport, ford, importance, port, privilege, forth, parade, practical, precious, par, ferry, pirate, interpretation, pardon, prix, fare, primitive, 152 more

through Ancient Greek πείρω ‘to pierce, to run through’

prion, prismatic, 12 more

through Ancient Greek πόρος ‘passage’

pore, emporium, 5 more

Today it means

adj Tending to doubt.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “aporetic”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Ancient Greek πείρω, Ancient Greek πόρος, Ancient Greek ἄπορος. 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 / Proto-Indo-European *per- / aporetic

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