English
diadochus
Diadochus comes from Ancient Greek διάδοχος ‘succeeding a person in a thing, aftercoming’, from δέχομαι ‘to accept’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deḱ-1‘to take, accept’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδέχομαι2‘to accept’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδιαδέχομαι3‘to succeed’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδιάδοχος4diádokhos‘succeeding a person in a thing, aftercoming’
- Englishtodaydiadochus4
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek δέχομαι
- 2 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek διαδέχομαι
- 3 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek διάδοχος
- 4 Wiktionary, English diadochus
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deḱ-Wiktionary, Ancient Greek δέχομαι‘to take, accept’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδέχομαιWiktionary, Ancient Greek διαδέχομαι‘to accept’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδιαδέχομαιWiktionary, Ancient Greek διάδοχος‘to succeed’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδιάδοχοςWiktionary, English diadochusdiádokhos‘succeeding a person in a thing, aftercoming’
- EnglishtodaydiadochusWiktionary, English diadochus
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- ‘to take, accept’
doctor, decent, tail, document, dignity, decoration, doctrine, decor, paradox, disdain, dainty, indignation, dogmatic, indignant, dodo, doctrinal, docile, dox, deign, dignitary, digne, dogmatism, docent, 51 more
through Ancient Greek δέχομαι ‘to accept’
Today it means
noun Any of the rival families who fought for control over Alexander the Great's empire after his death.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “diadochus”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Ancient Greek δέχομαι, Ancient Greek διαδέχομαι, Ancient Greek διάδοχος. 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 *deḱ- / diadochus