Etymograph

English

gonioprism

Gonioprism comes from Ancient Greek πρῑ́ω ‘to saw’, from πείρω ‘to pierce’, and perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to pass, go forth’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-1‘to pass, go forth’uncertain
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pér-ye-ti1uncertainye-present of *per-
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*péryō1uncertain
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπείρω2peírō‘to pierce’uncertain
  5. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπρῑ́ω3prī́ō‘to saw’
  6. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπρίσμᾰ3prísmă
  7. Late Latinmodernprisma3
  8. English1500–presentprism3
  9. Englishearliest quotation 2015gonioprism3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek πείρω
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek πρίω
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English gonioprism
  4. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2015: “A clinical Argon laser was used to deliver treatment…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-Wiktionary, Ancient Greek πείρω‘to pass, go forth’uncertain
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pér-ye-tiWiktionary, Ancient Greek πείρωuncertainye-present of *per-
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*péryōWiktionary, Ancient Greek πείρωuncertain
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπείρωWiktionary, Ancient Greek πρίωpeírō‘to pierce’uncertain
  5. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπρῑ́ωWiktionary, English gonioprismprī́ō‘to saw’
  6. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπρίσμᾰWiktionary, English gonioprismprísmă
  7. Late LatinmodernprismaWiktionary, English gonioprism
  8. English1500–presentprismWiktionary, English gonioprism
  9. Englishearliest quotation 2015gonioprismWiktionary, English gonioprism. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2015: “A clinical Argon laser was used to deliver treatment…”

Linked words

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

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

through Ancient Greek πείρω ‘to pierce’

pore, emporium, prion, 12 more

through Ancient Greek πρῑ́ω ‘to saw’

prismatic, 3 more

Today it means

noun A prismatic lens for use in goniometers

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “gonioprism”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Ancient Greek πείρω, Ancient Greek πρίω. 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- / gonioprism

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