syllabus (English)
Where does "syllabus" come from?
The English word 'syllabus', meaning a summary of topics or legal points, was borrowed from Medieval Latin 'syllabus', which originally meant 'list'[1]. This Medieval Latin term arose in the 1470s as a misprint when the accusative plural 'syllabos' appeared in place of 'sittybas' in an edition of Cicero[1]. The corrupt form was subsequently influenced by the stem of the Ancient Greek 'sullambánō', meaning 'put together', which derives from 'sun' meaning 'with' and 'lambánō' meaning 'to take'[1][2]. The true original etymon was actually 'sittúba', meaning 'parchment label or table of contents', though its ultimate origin remains unknown[1].
Open questions
- The medieval Latin term arose as a misprint of the Greek word sittybas, but was influenced by the stem of Ancient Greek sullambano. [1]
Full etymology tree
- syllabus (English), 'A summary of topics which will be covered during an academic course, or a text or lecture.'
- borrowed syllabus (Latin), 'list, register, syllabus'
- derived syllabos (Latin), 'accusative plural of syllabus'
- influenced by συλλαμβάνω (sullambánō) (Ancient Greek), 'to collect, gather; to rally'
- derived sittybas (Medieval Latin)
- derived σιττύβα (sittúba) (Ancient Greek)
- derived syllabos (Latin), 'accusative plural of syllabus'
- borrowed syllabus (Latin), 'list, register, syllabus'
Ancestors
- syllabus (Latin)
- συλλαμβάνω (Ancient Greek)
Sources
- syllabus (English) - Wiktionary
- συλλαμβάνω (sullambánō) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
- λαμβάνω (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
- συλλαβή (sullabé) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
Updated September 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris