Etymograph

English

sphingian

Sphingian comes from Latin Sphinx, and goes back to Ancient Greek Σφίγξ.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEΣφίγξ1
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CESphinx2
  3. Englishtodaysphingian2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin Sphinx
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English sphingian

Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEΣφίγξWiktionary, Latin Sphinx
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CESphinxWiktionary, English sphingian
  3. EnglishtodaysphingianWiktionary, English sphingian

Formed from ian

Ancient Greek Ἰωάννης

Latin Iōannēs

Old Irish Iohain

Scottish Gaelic Eòin

English ian

Linked words

through Ancient Greek σφῐ́γγω ‘to squeeze, to strangle’

sphincter, 1 more

Today it means

adj —

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “sphingian”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Latin Sphinx. 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 / Ancient Greek Σφίγξ / sphingian

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