Etymograph

English

syllable

Syllable comes from Anglo-Norman sillable, from Ancient Greek συλλαβή ‘that which holds together, i.e. a girdle’, and ultimately from Proto-Hellenic *hlagʷ-.

  1. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*hlagʷ-1reconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλαμβάνω2lambánō‘to take’
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυλλαμβάνω2sullambánō‘to gather together’
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυλλαβή2sullabḗ‘that which holds together, i.e. a girdle’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsyllaba2
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400sillebe2
  7. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400sillable2
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500syllable2
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1613syllable2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek λαμβάνω, which cites LIV
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English syllable
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1613, William Shakespeare, The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight: “Th'Archbyſhop Is the Kings hand, and tongue, and who…”.

Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*hlagʷ-Wiktionary, Ancient Greek λαμβάνω, which cites LIVreconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλαμβάνωWiktionary, English syllablelambánō‘to take’
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυλλαμβάνωWiktionary, English syllablesullambánō‘to gather together’
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυλλαβήWiktionary, English syllablesullabḗ‘that which holds together, i.e. a girdle’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsyllabaWiktionary, English syllable
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400sillebeWiktionary, English syllable
  7. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400sillableWiktionary, English syllable
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500syllableWiktionary, English syllable
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1613syllableWiktionary, English syllable. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1613, William Shakespeare, The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight: “Th'Archbyſhop Is the Kings hand, and tongue, and who…”

Linked words

through Proto-Hellenic *hlagʷ-

epileptic, 15 more

through Ancient Greek λαμβάνω ‘to take’

epilepsy, 7 more

through Ancient Greek συλλαβή ‘that which holds together, i.e. a girdle’

monosyllabic, 6 more

Today it means

noun A unit of human speech which often forms words corresponding to one opening of the mouth; a vowel and its surrounding consonants.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “syllable”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Ancient Greek λαμβάνω. 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-Hellenic *hlagʷ- / syllable

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