Etymograph

English

systematic

Systematic comes from Koine Greek συστηματικός ‘of or like an organized whole, systematic,…’, from Ancient Greek σύστημᾰ ‘a composite’, and ultimately from σῠνῐ́στημῐ ‘to place together, associate, unite’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσῠνῐ́στημῐ1‘to place together, associate, unite’
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσύστημᾰ2‘a composite’
  3. Koine Greekc. 300 BCE–600 CEσυστηματικός2sustēmatikós‘of or like an organized whole, systematic, forming a complete system’
  4. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEsystēmaticus2
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1878systematic2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek σύστημα
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English systematic
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1878, A French Critic on Goethe: “But the systematic judgment is altogether unprofitable. Its author…”.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσῠνῐ́στημῐWiktionary, Ancient Greek σύστημα‘to place together, associate, unite’
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσύστημᾰWiktionary, English systematic‘a composite’
  3. Koine Greekc. 300 BCE–600 CEσυστηματικόςWiktionary, English systematicsustēmatikós‘of or like an organized whole, systematic, forming a complete system’
  4. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEsystēmaticusWiktionary, English systematic
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1878systematicWiktionary, English systematic. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1878, A French Critic on Goethe: “But the systematic judgment is altogether unprofitable. Its author…”

Equivalent to system + -atic

Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand (up)’

…

Ancient Greek συνίστημι ‘to combine, organize’

Ancient Greek σύστημα ‘musical scale; organized body; whole made of…’

Late Latin systēma ‘harmony; musical scale; system’

Middle French systeme

English system

Every English word from Ancient Greek σῠνῐ́στημῐ

Today it means

adj Carried out according to a planned, ordered procedure.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “systematic”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Ancient Greek σύστημα. 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 σῠνῐ́στημῐ / systematic

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