The story
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰéh₂os
- Proto-Hellenic*pʰáwos
- Ancient Greekφᾰ́ος (phắos)
- Ancient Greekφῶς (phôs)
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰer-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰéreti
- Proto-Hellenic*pʰérō
- Ancient Greekφέρω (phérō)
- Ancient Greekφωσφόρος (phōsphóros)
- Latinphōsphorus
- Englishphosphorus
- Englishphospho-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂eǵ-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂éǵeti
- Proto-Italic*agō
- Latinagō
- Ancient Greekἐνεργητικός (energētikós)
- Latināctīvu
- Old Frenchactif
- Middle Englishactyf
- Englishactive
- Englishactivate
- Englishactivation
- English todayphosphoactivation
From phospho- + activation.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.