Anthos
/ˈæn.θɒs/noun
A Greek word meaning “flower” or “blossom.”
Did you know?In ancient Greek, anthos was a poetic word for a flower or blossom, and its root survives in scientific names like anthology—the original idea was a “collection of flowers,” later a “bouquet” of writings.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂endʰ-
“to bloom, blossom, or sprout”
Ancient Greek
GRK
ἄνθος (ánthos)
“flower, blossom”
Classical Latin
LAT
anthus
“a flower; used in borrowed plant names and learned compounds”
14th Century
English
anthology
“a “gathering of flowers,” later a collection of literary pieces”
Modern English
English
anthos
“a learned transliteration of the Greek word for flower”
Explore more surprising origins