elastic

英文词源

elastic

elastic: [17] Greek elaúnein meant ‘drive’. From it was derived the late Greek adjective elastikós, which had the sense ‘driving, propelling’. Its Latin version elasticus was used by the French scientist Jean Pecquet (1622–74) in describing the expansive properties of gases, and that is the sense in which it was originally adopted into English. Its transference to the wider meaning ‘returning to a former state after contracting’ took place towards the end of the 17th century.

elastic (adj.)

1650s, formerly also elastick, coined in French (1650s) as a scientific term to describe gases, from Modern Latin elasticus, from Greek elastos "ductile, flexible," related to elaunein "to strike, beat out," which is of uncertain origin; according to Watkins from an extended form of the PIE base *ele- "to go." Applied to solids from 1670s. Figurative use by 1859. The noun meaning "piece of elastic material," originally a cord or string woven with rubber, is from 1847, American English.