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Where does the word "syllable" come from? It comes from Greek syllabē, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "syllable" come from? It comes from Greek syllabē, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Syllable’s story begins in Greek: syllabē meant “what is held together.” Greek, 'syn', together, plus 'lambanein', to take. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as sillabe. Anglo-French added an extra 'l' to the older 'sillabe'. It reached English by 1300s as syllable. Used by grammarians for each beat of a spoken word. Today, syllable means a unit of pronunciation.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient syllabē "what is held together", Greek, 'syn', together, plus 'lambanein', to take.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval sillabe "syllable", Anglo-French added an extra 'l' to the older 'sillabe'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s syllable "syllable", used by grammarians for each beat of a spoken word.