pseph-

English

Etymology

From the Ancient Greek ψῆφος (psêphos, “pebble”); the later, electoral sense stems from the ancient Athenian method of voting by putting a pebble in a ballot box (for which sense see psephisma and psephophoria).

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) enPR: psēf, psĕf, IPA^(key): /psiːf/, /psɛf/
(US) enPR: psēf, IPA^(key): /psif/

Prefix

pseph-

pebble, small stone
voting, election; ballot box

Usage notes

When combined with a word or another affix which begins with a consonant, this prefix concatenates with the interfix -o- (as psepho-).
Of the pronunciations in use, psēf— is the most etymologically consistent.

Derived terms

Terms derived in the sense “pebble”, “small stone”

psephite (geology)
- psephitic (geology)

psephomancy (chiefly historical)

Terms derived in the sense “voting”, “election”; “ballot box”

psephocracy
psephograph (rare)

psephology
- psephological
  - psephologically
- psephologist

Related terms

Terms ultimately deriving from ψῆφος (psēphos, “pebble”) but not formed with this prefix

isopsephic
- isopsephism

psephism (Ancient Greek history)
psephisma (Ancient Greek history)
psephophoria

References

“psepho-” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2^nd Ed.; 1989]
“psepho-, comb. form” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [draft revision; June 2008]

Anagrams

Hepps, hepps

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