*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of toner

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ten- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *tónos Proto-Hellenic *tónos Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos)der. Latin tonusder. Middle English tone English tone Proto-Indo-European *-eh

1 source sectionExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 1 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

Original entry ↗
noun

Powder used in laser printers and photocopiers to form the text and images on the printed paper. · Cosmetic lotion designed to cleanse the skin and shrink pores, usually used on the face. · A musician, particularly one who plays a wind instrument. · A hair product used to reduce brassiness and increase shine in bleached and dyed hair.

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

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ten- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *tónos Proto-Hellenic *tónos Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos)der. Latin tonusder. Middle English tone English tone Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-os? Proto-Indo-European *-o- Proto-Indo-European *-so- Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂so- Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂s(i)yós Proto-Italic *-āsijos Proto-Italic *-āsios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere ▲ Latin -ārius Old French -ierbor. Middle English -er English -er English toner From tone + -er.

Inspect preserved source fields

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

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "tone",
        "4": "-er<id:agent noun>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *ten-\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *tónos\nProto-Hellenic *tónos\nAncient Greek τόνος (tónos)der.\nLatin tonusder.\nMiddle English tone\nEnglish tone\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂\nProto-Indo-European *-os?\nProto-Indo-European *-o-\nProto-Indo-European *-so-\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂so-\nProto-Indo-European *-yós\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂s(i)yós\nProto-Italic *-āsijos\nProto-Italic *-āsios\nLatin -āriusnom.\nLatin -āriusbor.\nProto-Germanic *-ārijaz\nProto-West Germanic *-ārī\nOld English -ere\nMiddle English -ere\n▲\nLatin -ārius\nOld French -ierbor.\nMiddle English -er\nEnglish -er\nEnglish toner\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*ten-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"thematic\", \"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\" : \"*tónos\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Hellenic\", \"term\" : \"*tónos\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grk-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"τόνος\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"tonus\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"tone\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"tone\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"agent noun\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"agent suffix\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"agent suffix\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"agent suffix\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"noun\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"agent noun\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"nom.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Nominalization of\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjective\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjective\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-āsijos\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-eh₂s(i)yós\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-eh₂so-\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-eh₂\", \"status\" : \"ambiguous\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"alt\" : \"*-so-\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"id\" : \"athematic\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-os\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"alt\" : \"*-o-\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"suffix\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yós\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*-āsios\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ārius\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"nominalization\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ārius\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ārijaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ārī\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-ere\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-ere\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" }, { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"agentive\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"nouns\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"is_duplicate\" : true, \"children\" : [ ], \"id\" : \"agent noun\", \"status\" : { \"1\" : \"la\", \"2\" : \":nom\", \"3\" : \"-ārius<id:adjective>\", \"id\" : \"agent noun\", \"title\" : \"-ārius\", \"pos\" : \"suffix\" }, \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ārius\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"-ier\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-er\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-er\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"toner\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"toner\">\nFrom tone + -er."
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "tone",
        "4": "-er<id:agent noun>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *ten-\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *tónos\nProto-Hellenic *tónos\nAncient Greek τόνος (tónos)der.\nLatin tonusder.\nMiddle English tone\nEnglish tone\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂\nProto-Indo-European *-os?\nProto-Indo-European *-o-\nProto-Indo-European *-so-\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂so-\nProto-Indo-European *-yós\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂s(i)yós\nProto-Italic *-āsijos\nProto-Italic *-āsios\nLatin -āriusnom.\nLatin -āriusbor.\nProto-Germanic *-ārijaz\nProto-West Germanic *-ārī\nOld English -ere\nMiddle English -ere\n▲\nLatin -ārius\nOld French -ierbor.\nMiddle English -er\nEnglish -er\nEnglish toner\nFrom tone + -er."
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*ten-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/ten-"
    ],
    [
      "*-os",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-os#Proto-Indo-European:_thematic"
    ],
    [
      "*tónos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/tónos"
    ],
    [
      "*tónos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Hellenic/tónos"
    ],
    [
      "τόνος",
      "τόνος#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "tonus",
      "tonus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "tone",
      "tone#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "tone",
      "tone#English"
    ],
    [
      "*-eh₂",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-eh₂"
    ],
    [
      "*-os",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-os#Proto-Indo-European:_athematic"
    ],
    [
      "*-yós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yós#Proto-Indo-European:_suffix"
    ],
    [
      "*-āsios",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/-āsios#Proto-Italic:_adjective"
    ],
    [
      "-ārius",
      "-arius#Latin:_adjective"
    ],
    [
      "-ārius",
      "-arius#Latin:_agent_noun"
    ],
    [
      "*-ārijaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ārijaz#Proto-Germanic:_noun"
    ],
    [
      "*-ārī",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-ārī#Proto-West_Germanic:_agent_suffix"
    ],
    [
      "-ere",
      "-ere#Old_English:_agent_suffix"
    ],
    [
      "-ere",
      "-ere#Middle_English:_agent_suffix"
    ],
    [
      "-ārius",
      "-arius#Latin:_agent_noun"
    ],
    [
      "-ier",
      "-ier#Old_French:_nouns"
    ],
    [
      "-er",
      "-er#Middle_English:_agentive"
    ],
    [
      "-er",
      "-er#English:_agent_noun"
    ],
    [
      "tone",
      "tone#English"
    ],
    [
      "-er",
      "-er#English:_agent_noun"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "lang_code": "ca",
      "word": "tòner",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Czech",
      "lang_code": "cs",
      "word": "toner",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "French",
      "lang_code": "fr",
      "word": "toner",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "word": "Toner",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "lang_code": "pt",
      "word": "toner",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "lang_code": "pt",
      "word": "tóner",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "lang_code": "pt",
      "word": "tôner",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "word": "tóner",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Powder used in laser printers and photocopiers to form the text and images on the printed paper.",
        "Cosmetic lotion designed to cleanse the skin and shrink pores, usually used on the face.",
        "A musician, particularly one who plays a wind instrument.",
        "A hair product used to reduce brassiness and increase shine in bleached and dyed hair."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable",
        "archaic",
        "dialectal"
      ],
      "recordId": "64647be6aaea60a99cdbcd05afd035bcd4162cf016aa90b0d8276160ba722bfb",
      "rawRecordSha256": "3fd0785bf95b61ead3dabc69571aabd4b5c738bb6151651810334e6eb1e85030",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 824626
    }
  ],
  "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 toner →

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-dG9uZXI