*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of photo

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂os Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos Ancient Greek φᾰ́ος (phắos) Ancient Greek φῶς (phôs) Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-)der. English photo-

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Unnumbered source etymology · variant 1/2

Original entry ↗
noun

A photograph. · A photo finish. · A digital picture of any kind. · Photography

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂os Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos Ancient Greek φᾰ́ος (phắos) Ancient Greek φῶς (phôs) Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-)der. English photo- Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō Ancient Greek γράφω (gráphō) Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek -γρᾰ́φος (-grắphos)der. English -graph English photographclip. English photo Clipping of photograph.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":clip",
        "3": "photograph",
        "tree": "1",
        "text": "+"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂-\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂os\nProto-Hellenic *pʰáwos\nAncient Greek φᾰ́ος (phắos)\nAncient Greek φῶς (phôs)\nAncient Greek φωτο- (phōto-)der.\nEnglish photo-\nProto-Indo-European *gerbʰ-\nProto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō\nAncient Greek γράφω (gráphō)\nAncient Greek -ος (-os)\nAncient Greek -γρᾰ́φος (-grắphos)der.\nEnglish -graph\nEnglish photographclip.\nEnglish photo\n[Appendix:Glossary#clipping|Clipping]] of\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"shine\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bʰeh₂-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"athematic\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-os\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bʰéh₂os\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Hellenic\", \"term\" : \"*pʰáwos\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"grk-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"φᾰ́ος\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"φῶς\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"φωτο-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"photo-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"to scratch\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"to scratch\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"to carve\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*gerbʰ-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Hellenic\", \"term\" : \"*grə́pʰō\", \"lang\" : \"grk-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"γράφω\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" }, { \"id\" : \"adjective\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"-ος\", \"lang\" : \"grc\", \"pos\" : \"suffix forming compound adjectives (often nominalizable)\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"-γρᾰ́φος\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-graph\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"photograph\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"clipping\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"photo\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"photo\">\nClipping of photograph."
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":clip",
        "3": "photograph",
        "tree": "1",
        "text": "+"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂-\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂os\nProto-Hellenic *pʰáwos\nAncient Greek φᾰ́ος (phắos)\nAncient Greek φῶς (phôs)\nAncient Greek φωτο- (phōto-)der.\nEnglish photo-\nProto-Indo-European *gerbʰ-\nProto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō\nAncient Greek γράφω (gráphō)\nAncient Greek -ος (-os)\nAncient Greek -γρᾰ́φος (-grắphos)der.\nEnglish -graph\nEnglish photographclip.\nEnglish photo\nClipping of photograph."
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*bʰeh₂-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/bʰeh₂-#Proto-Indo-European:_shine"
    ],
    [
      "*-os",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-os#Proto-Indo-European:_athematic"
    ],
    [
      "*bʰéh₂os",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/bʰéh₂os"
    ],
    [
      "*pʰáwos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Hellenic/pʰáwos"
    ],
    [
      "φᾰ́ος",
      "φάος#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "φῶς",
      "φῶς#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "φωτο-",
      "φωτο-#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "photo-",
      "photo-#English"
    ],
    [
      "*gerbʰ-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/gerbʰ-#Proto-Indo-European:_to_carve"
    ],
    [
      "*grə́pʰō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Hellenic/grə́pʰō#Proto-Hellenic:_to_scratch"
    ],
    [
      "γράφω",
      "γράφω#Ancient_Greek:_to_scratch"
    ],
    [
      "-ος",
      "-ος#Ancient_Greek:_adjective"
    ],
    [
      "-γρᾰ́φος",
      "-γράφος#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "-graph",
      "-graph#English"
    ],
    [
      "photograph",
      "photograph#English"
    ],
    [
      "photograph",
      "photograph#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Assamese",
      "lang_code": "as",
      "word": "ফটো",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "roman": "phtü"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Big Nambas",
      "lang_code": "nmb",
      "word": "vutu",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Gujarati",
      "lang_code": "gu",
      "word": "ફોટો",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "roman": "phoṭo"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Hausa",
      "lang_code": "ha",
      "word": "hṑtō",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Hindi",
      "lang_code": "hi",
      "word": "फ़ोटो",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "roman": "foṭo"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "lang_code": "ja",
      "word": "フォト",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "roman": "foto"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Kalasha",
      "lang_code": "kls",
      "word": "phuṭú",
      "raw_tags": [
        "reshaped by analogy or addition of morphemes"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Korean",
      "lang_code": "ko",
      "word": "포토",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "roman": "poto"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Malayalam",
      "lang_code": "ml",
      "word": "ഫോട്ടോ",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "roman": "phōṭṭō"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Tamil",
      "lang_code": "ta",
      "word": "போட்டோ",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "roman": "pōṭṭō"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Tamil",
      "lang_code": "ta",
      "word": "ஃபோட்டோ",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "roman": "fōṭṭō"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Yoruba",
      "lang_code": "yo",
      "word": "fọ́tò",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Zulu",
      "lang_code": "zu",
      "word": "ifotho",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A photograph.",
        "A photo finish.",
        "A digital picture of any kind.",
        "Photography"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "recordId": "2f4e679abc9907d7e5236044b804161fd8a747388b437c6fbdf6d3ececac23bf",
      "rawRecordSha256": "c9a7dbb1d9d4283d3e90b52418f50d2918fcf9ab0acef07c678f2d2afeb84349",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 179675
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Unnumbered source etymology · variant 2/2

Original entry ↗
verb

To take a photograph of.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂os Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos Ancient Greek φᾰ́ος (phắos) Ancient Greek φῶς (phôs) Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-)der. English photo- Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō Ancient Greek γράφω (gráphō) Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek -γρᾰ́φος (-grắphos)der. English -graph English photographclip. English photo Clipping of photograph.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":clip",
        "3": "photograph",
        "tree": "1",
        "text": "+"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂-\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂os\nProto-Hellenic *pʰáwos\nAncient Greek φᾰ́ος (phắos)\nAncient Greek φῶς (phôs)\nAncient Greek φωτο- (phōto-)der.\nEnglish photo-\nProto-Indo-European *gerbʰ-\nProto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō\nAncient Greek γράφω (gráphō)\nAncient Greek -ος (-os)\nAncient Greek -γρᾰ́φος (-grắphos)der.\nEnglish -graph\nEnglish photographclip.\nEnglish photo\n[Appendix:Glossary#clipping|Clipping]] of\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"shine\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bʰeh₂-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"athematic\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-os\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bʰéh₂os\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Hellenic\", \"term\" : \"*pʰáwos\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"grk-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"φᾰ́ος\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"φῶς\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"φωτο-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"photo-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"to scratch\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"to scratch\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"to carve\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*gerbʰ-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Hellenic\", \"term\" : \"*grə́pʰō\", \"lang\" : \"grk-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"γράφω\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" }, { \"id\" : \"adjective\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"-ος\", \"lang\" : \"grc\", \"pos\" : \"suffix forming compound adjectives (often nominalizable)\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"-γρᾰ́φος\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-graph\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"photograph\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"clipping\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"photo\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"photo\">\nClipping of photograph."
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":clip",
        "3": "photograph",
        "tree": "1",
        "text": "+"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂-\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂os\nProto-Hellenic *pʰáwos\nAncient Greek φᾰ́ος (phắos)\nAncient Greek φῶς (phôs)\nAncient Greek φωτο- (phōto-)der.\nEnglish photo-\nProto-Indo-European *gerbʰ-\nProto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō\nAncient Greek γράφω (gráphō)\nAncient Greek -ος (-os)\nAncient Greek -γρᾰ́φος (-grắphos)der.\nEnglish -graph\nEnglish photographclip.\nEnglish photo\nClipping of photograph."
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*bʰeh₂-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/bʰeh₂-#Proto-Indo-European:_shine"
    ],
    [
      "*-os",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-os#Proto-Indo-European:_athematic"
    ],
    [
      "*bʰéh₂os",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/bʰéh₂os"
    ],
    [
      "*pʰáwos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Hellenic/pʰáwos"
    ],
    [
      "φᾰ́ος",
      "φάος#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "φῶς",
      "φῶς#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "φωτο-",
      "φωτο-#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "photo-",
      "photo-#English"
    ],
    [
      "*gerbʰ-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/gerbʰ-#Proto-Indo-European:_to_carve"
    ],
    [
      "*grə́pʰō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Hellenic/grə́pʰō#Proto-Hellenic:_to_scratch"
    ],
    [
      "γράφω",
      "γράφω#Ancient_Greek:_to_scratch"
    ],
    [
      "-ος",
      "-ος#Ancient_Greek:_adjective"
    ],
    [
      "-γρᾰ́φος",
      "-γράφος#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "-graph",
      "-graph#English"
    ],
    [
      "photograph",
      "photograph#English"
    ],
    [
      "photograph",
      "photograph#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To take a photograph of."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "recordId": "a13be1eaa039b9b9ae96b0b4c75192952103258ee0334bd5f5d97697ca79450a",
      "rawRecordSha256": "185cef92e9fec3d08e82fad1376eb7de14a33d38ee01a47489fc4625efdd6d1d",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 179676
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for photo →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-cGhvdG8