Etymology

tetra-

Today it means: Four. Full definition →

Ancient Greek τετρᾰ- (tetră-) ← Proto-Hellenic *kʷétwores ← Proto-Indo-European *kʷetwóres
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*kʷetwóres
  2. Proto-Hellenic*kʷétwores
  3. Ancient Greekτέσσᾰρες (téssăres)
  4. Ancient Greekτετρᾰ- (tetră-)
  5. English todaytetra-

Borrowed from Ancient Greek τετρα- (tetra-), combining form of Ancient Greek τέτταρες (téttares), from τέσσαρες (téssares, “four”). Doublet of quadri-.

Words from the same roots

Ancient Greekτετρα- all →

tetrapody

Ancient Greekτέτταρες all →

tera-tetra-amelia

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.