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Where does the word "parallel" come from? It comes from Greek parallēlos, passing through French before entering English (1540s).
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Where does the word "parallel" come from? It comes from Greek parallēlos, passing through French before entering English (1540s).
Parallel’s story begins in Greek: parallēlos meant “beside one another.” Greek, 'para', beside, plus 'allēlōn', each other. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as parallèle. Came via Latin 'parallelus'. It reached English by 1540s as parallel. 'parallel universe' dates from the 1900s. Today, parallel means side by side and equal distance apart.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient parallēlos "beside one another", Greek, 'para', beside, plus 'allēlōn', each other.
- Stage 2 · French · 1500s parallèle "parallel", came via Latin 'parallelus'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1540s parallel "parallel", 'parallel universe' dates from the 1900s.