circumflex

Where does the word "circumflex" come from? It comes from Latin flectere, passing through Latin before entering English (1570s).

Circumflex’s story begins in Latin: flectere meant “to bend.” To bend, combined with circum- (around). Within Latin, it grew into circumflectere by ancient. To bend around, from circum- and flectere, with irregular past participle circumflexus. It reached English by 1570s as circumflex. Settled as the English word for the curved accent mark used over vowels. Today, circumflex means a curved accent mark placed over a vowel in certain languages.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient flectere "to bend", to bend, combined with circum- (around).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient circumflectere "to bend around", to bend around, from circum- and flectere, with irregular past participle circumflexus.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1570s circumflex "the curved accent mark used over vowels", settled as the English word for the curved accent mark used over vowels.