Etymology

eigen-

ei·gen-

Today it means: Forms terms pertaining to or related to eigenvectors, eigenvalues; especially for naming mathematical objects which are not affected by a given linear transformation except for by scalar multiplication. Full definition →

German eigen ← Middle High German eigen ← Old High German eigan
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eyḱ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eh₂óyḱe
  3. Proto-Germanic*aiganą
  4. Proto-Germanic*aiganaz
  5. Proto-West Germanic*aigan
  6. Old High Germaneigan
  7. Middle High Germaneigen
  8. Germaneigen
  9. English todayeigen-

Borrowed from German eigen (“own”). Many of the compounds represent partial translations from German, e.g. eigenvalue from German Eigenwert. Doublet of own.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.