English
henid
Henid comes from Ancient Greek εἷς ‘single thing’, from Proto-Indo-European *sḗm ‘one’, and ultimately from *sem- ‘one’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-1‘one’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sḗm2‘one’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*hens2reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEεἷς3hénas ἕν‘single thing’
- Englishtodayhenid3
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, Proto-Indo-European *sḗm
- 2 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek εἷς
- 3 Wiktionary, English henid
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-Wiktionary, Proto-Indo-European *sḗm‘one’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sḗmWiktionary, Ancient Greek εἷς‘one’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*hensWiktionary, Ancient Greek εἷςreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEεἷςWiktionary, English henidhénas ἕν‘single thing’
- EnglishtodayhenidWiktionary, English henid
The story
Coined by Dr. Otto Weininger from Ancient Greek ἕν (hén, “single thing”) + -id, because it cannot at this stage be separated into thought and feeling.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘one’
some, same, single, similar, seem, simple, simply, soft, sam, simulation, sincerely, singular, resemble, assemble, resemblance, simultaneous, anomaly, simulate, sincerity, semblance, assimilate, anomalous, homeopathic, synapse, homology, insincere, simile, simulacrum, homolog, synchronise, 45 more
through Proto-Indo-European *sḗm ‘one’
through Ancient Greek εἷς ‘single thing’
Today it means
noun A vague, half-formed thought or feeling.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “henid”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Proto-Indo-European *sḗm, Ancient Greek εἷς. 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 *sem- / henid