Kyparissos
/ˌkaɪ.pəˈrɪs.oʊs/noun
A Greek word for the cypress tree.
Did you know?In Greek tradition, the cypress became so closely tied to grief and the underworld that it was commonly planted at tombs, turning a simple tree-name into a symbol of mourning power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kupr-
“A proposed ancient root connected with cypress/evergreen tree names in the Mediterranean”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κυπάρισσος (kuparissos)
“Cypress tree”
Classical Latin
Latin
cupressus
“Cypress tree”
Old French
Old French
cipres
“Cypress tree”
Middle English
English
cipres / cypress
“Cypress tree”
Modern English
English
cypress
“An evergreen conifer of the genus Cupressus”