英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

syllogistic (adj.)[syllogistic 词源字典]: 1660s, from Latin syllogisticus or directly from Greek syllogistikos, from syllogizesthai (see syllogism).[syllogistic etymology, syllogistic origin, 英语词源]
sylph (n.): 1650s, "air-spirit," from Modern Latin sylphes (plural), coined 16c. by Paracelsus (1493-1541), originally referring to any race of spirits inhabiting the air, described as being mortal but lacking a soul. Paracelsus' word seems to be an arbitrary coinage, but perhaps it holds a suggestion of Latin silva and Greek nymph, or Greek silphe "a kind of beetle," but French etymologists propose a Gaulish origin. The Century Dictionary comments that, "to occultists and quacks like Paracelsus words spelled with -y- look more Greek and convincing." The meaning "graceful girl" first recorded 1838, on the notion of "slender figure and light, airy movement" [OED].
sylphid (n.): younger or smaller variety of sylph, 1670s, from French sylphide (1670s), from sylphe (see sylph) + diminutive suffix.
sylvan (adj.): "of the woods," 1570s, from Middle French sylvain (1530s), from Latin silvanus "pertaining to wood or forest" (originally only in silvanae "goddesses of the woods"), from silva "wood, woodland, forest, orchard, grove," of unknown origin. The unetymological -y- is a misspelling in Latin from influence of Greek hyle "forest," from which the Latin word formerly was supposed to derive.
Sylvanus: Roman deity, from Latin Silvanus, used by the Romans as the proper name of a god of woods and fields, identified with Pan, noun use of adjective, literally "pertaining to woods or forest" (see sylvan).
Sylvester: masc. proper name, from Latin silvestris, literally "of a wood, of a forest, woody, rural, pastoral," from silva "wood, forest" (see sylvan). St. Sylvester's Day is Dec. 31.
Sylvia: fem. proper name, literally "inhabiting woods," from Latin silva "wood, forest" (see sylvan). Also the genus name of warblers, hence adjective Sylvian.
sym-: assimilated form of syn-, from Greek form of syn- in compounds with words beginning in -b-, -m-, -p-, -ph-, -ps-.
Symbionese (adj.): in Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), name adopted by a socialist revolutionary group active in U.S. 1972-76, coined from simbion "an organism living in symbiosis, from symbioun (see symbiosis) + people-name ending -ese.
symbiosis (n.): 1876, as a biological term, "union for life of two different organisms based on mutually benefit," from Greek symbiosis "a living together," from symbioun "live together," from symbios "(one) living together (with another), partner, companion, husband or wife," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + bios "life" (see bio-). Given a wider (non-biological) sense by 1921. An earlier sense of "communal or social life" is found in 1620s. A back-formed verb symbiose is recorded from 1960.
symbiotic (adj.): 1882, in biology, from stem of symbiosis + -ic. Of human activities from 1951. Related: Symbiotical; symbiotically.
symbol (n.): early 15c., "creed, summary, religious belief," from Late Latin symbolum "creed, token, mark," from Greek symbolon "token, watchword, sign by which one infers; ticket, a permit, license" (the word was applied c.250 by Cyprian of Carthage to the Apostles' Creed, on the notion of the "mark" that distinguishes Christians from pagans), literally "that which is thrown or cast together," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + bole "a throwing, a casting, the stroke of a missile, bolt, beam," from bol-, nominative stem of ballein "to throw" (see ballistics).

The sense evolution in Greek is from "throwing things together" to "contrasting" to "comparing" to "token used in comparisons to determine if something is genuine." Hence, "outward sign" of something. The meaning "something which stands for something else" first recorded 1590 (in "Faerie Queene"). As a written character, 1610s.
symbolic (adj.): 1650s, from symbol + -ic, or from Greek symbolikos. Related: Symbolical (c. 1600); symbolically.
symbolise (v.): chiefly British English spelling of symbolize. For suffix, see -ize. Related: Symbolised; symbolising; symbolisation.
symbolism (n.): 1650s, "practice of representing things with symbols," from symbol + -ism. Applied to the arts by 1866; attested from 1892 as a movement in French literature, from French symbolisme (see symbolist).
symbolist (n.): 1580s, from symbol + -ist. From 1888 in reference to a literary movement that aimed at representing ideas and emotions by indirect suggestion rather than direct expression, from French symboliste, coined 1885 by poet Paul Verlaine (1844-1896). Rejecting realism and naturalism, they attached symbolic meaning to certain objects, words, etc.
symbolization (n.): c. 1600, from French symbolisation, from symboliser (see symbolize).
symbolize (v.): c. 1600, "represent by a symbol," also "be a symbol of," from French symboliser, from symbole (see symbol). Related: Symbolized; symbolizes; symbolizing.
symbology (n.): 1840, contracted from symbolology, from comb. form of Greek symbolon "token" (see symbol) + -ology.
symbololatry (n.): "worship of symbols," 1828, from symbolo-, comb. form of symbol, + -latry.