Etymograph

English

porion

Porion comes from Ancient Greek πόρος ‘opening’, from πείρω ‘to pierce, to run through’, 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 BCEπόρος3póros‘opening’o-grade of πείρω
  6. Englishtodayporion3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek πείρω
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek πόρος
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English porion

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, English porionpóros‘opening’o-grade of πείρω
  6. EnglishtodayporionWiktionary, English porion

Linked words

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

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

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

prismatic, prion, 12 more

through Ancient Greek πόρος ‘opening’

pore, emporium, 5 more

Today it means

noun The point on the human skull located at the upper margin of each ear canal, and underlying the tragus.

Sources

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

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