Ichthys
/ˈɪk.θiːs/noun
A Greek word meaning "fish," also used as a Christian symbol and acronym in later tradition.
Did you know?The fish symbol became a covert Christian sign in the Roman world, later linked by tradition to the acrostic Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ (“Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior”).
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peisk- / *pisḱ-
“A reconstructed root associated with fish”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἰχθύς (ichthýs)
“Fish”
Late Antiquity
Greek/Christian
ἰχθύς
“Fish; later used as a Christian symbol and acronym in tradition”
Modern English
English
ichthys
“A Greek word for fish, especially in historical or religious contexts”
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