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Prism

2 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a transparent solid, often triangular, that refracts light into its component colors
1
Stage 1 of 2
prisma
Greek · ancient
"something sawed"
literally something sawed, from prizein (to saw)
2
Stage 2 of 2
prism
English · 1560s
"a transparent solid that refracts light into a spectrum"
settled as the word for the transparent solid that refracts light
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