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Where does the word "autograph" come from? It comes from Greek autographos, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).
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Where does the word "autograph" come from? It comes from Greek autographos, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).
Autograph’s story begins in Greek: autographos meant “written with one's own hand.” Literally self-written. It reached English by 1600s as autograph. Settled as the word for a person's own signature or handwriting. Today, autograph means a person's own signature, especially of a famous person.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient autographos "written with one's own hand", literally self-written.
- Stage 2 · English · 1600s autograph "a person's own signature", settled as the word for a person's own signature or handwriting.