octad etymology

Etymology

The word "octad" is derived from the Late Latin "octadis," which in turn comes from the Greek "oktas" or "ὀκτάς." This Greek word is related to "oktō" (ὀκτώ), meaning "eight."

Meaning

An octad is a group or set of eight. It can also refer to the eighth day after a specific event, such as a birth or a holiday.

Origin

The concept of an octad as a set of eight has its roots in ancient Greek mathematics and philosophy. The Pythagorean school, founded by Pythagoras in the 6th century BCE, placed great importance on the number eight, which they saw as a symbol of completeness and perfection.

The octad was also significant in ancient Chinese philosophy. In the I Ching, an ancient Chinese divination text, the eighth trigram, named "Pi," represents the idea of reunion or gathering together.

Over time, the word "octad" has been used in various contexts, including mathematics, music, and religion. In modern usage, it primarily refers to a set of eight elements or objects.

octad relate terms

  • dryad

    Etymology The word dryad comes from the Greek word dryas δρυάς meaning tree

  • Naiad

    Etymology Latin Naiadēs Greek Ναιάδες Naiádes Meaning Fresh water nymph

  • Pleiades

    Etymology The name Pleiades comes from the Greek word Pleiades meaning the daughte

  • Hyades

    Etymology The name Hyades originates from the Greek word huados which means rain

  • Iliad

    Etymology Iliad comes from the Greek word Ilias Ἰλιάς which is the feminine

  • octa

    Etymology Early Middle English from Late Latin octāvus eighth from octa eight

  • eight

    Etymology Old English e a hta Proto Germanic ahtau Proto Indo European oḱtōw

  • eight

    Etymology Old English e a hta Proto Germanic ahtau Proto Indo European oḱtōw

  • from

    Etymology refers to the study of the origin and history of words including their meaning

  • guinea

    Etymology The word guinea has a complex etymology with multiple possible origins 1

  • rhetoric

    Etymology The word rhetoric comes from the Greek word rhētorikē derived from rhē

  • devotion

    Etymology The word devotion comes from the Latin word devotio which means dedicatio

  • abeyance

    Etymology The word abeyance comes from the Old French word abeance which means cess

  • salty

    Etymology The word salty comes from the Old English word sealt which means salt T

  • zeal

    Etymology Origin The word zeal originates from the Greek word zēlos ζῆλος

  • career

    Etymology Late Middle English cariere from Anglo Norman French cariere from Old Fren

  • conciliate

    Etymology Latin conciliare to call together reconcile Con together calare to