Shadow
/ΛΚΓ¦d.oΚ/noun
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
Did you know?In ancient cultures, shadows were often seen as the physical manifestations of a person's spirit, believed to hold magical powers and secrets.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skai-
βto be dark, to be shadowy.β
Old English
Old English
sceadu
βa shadow or shade, often linked to darkness.β
Middle English
Middle English
shadowe
βthe dark shape cast by an object obstructing light.β
14th Century
Middle English
shadowe
βa term for both physical shadows and metaphorical darkness.β
Modern English
English
shadow
βretains the meanings of both darkness and the concept of a companion or presence.β