Where did the word Math came from?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the etymology of the word "math," exploring its origins and historical context. Participants consider various linguistic and cultural influences, including ancient Greek and Arabic contributions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Historical

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that the word may originate from ancient Greece, while another proposes Arabic as a possibility.
  • A third participant references a website detailing the earliest known uses of mathematical terminology, noting that Pythagoras is credited with coining the term mathematics, meaning "that which is learned."
  • This participant also cites a historical instance of the word "mathematics" appearing in English in 1581, spelled as "mathematikes."
  • A quote attributed to HallsofIvy is shared, which reflects on the aesthetic appreciation of mathematics.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the origins of the word "math," with no consensus reached on a definitive source.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes references to specific historical texts and interpretations, which may depend on varying definitions and contexts of the term "mathematics."

Ephratah7
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Where did the word Math came from?
 
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I am guessing, ancient Greece? My second guess would be Arabic.
 
If you worry about such things, you might find the website "Earliest Known Uses of Some of the Words of Mathematics" interesting:
http://members.aol.com/jeff570/mathword.html

It says:
MATHEMATICS. Pythagoras is said to have coined the words philosophy for "love of wisdom" and mathematics for "that which is learned."

Mathematics is found in English in 1581 in Positions, wherein those primitive circumstances be examined, which are necessarie for the training up of children by Richard Mulcaster. (The word is spelled "mathematikes.") (OED2)
 
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"Euclid alone has looked on beauty bare"

---HallsofIvy
 

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