Online Etymology Dictionary

phobophobia (n.): "morbid dread of being alarmed," 1890; see phobia.
phoebe (n.): small North American flycatcher, pewit, 1700, phebe, so called in imitation of its cry; spelling altered (1839) by influence of the woman's proper name Phoebe.
Phoebe: fem. proper name, late 14c., originally a name of Artemis as the goddess of the moon, from Latin Phoebe, from Greek phoibos "bright, pure," of unknown origin. The fem. form of Phoebus, an epithet of Apollo as sun-god.
Phoebus: epithet of Apollo as sun-god, late 14c., from Latin Phoebus, from Greek Phoibos, literally "bright, shining, radiant," of unknown origin. Related: Phoeban.
Phoenician (n.): late 14c., from Middle French phenicien, from Latin Phoenice, from Greek Phoinike "Phoenicia" (including Carthage), perhaps literally "land of the purple" (i.e., source of purple dye, the earliest use of which was ascribed to the Phoenicians by the Greeks). Identical with phoenix (q.v.), but the relationship is obscure. In reference to a language from 1836; as an adjective from c.1600.
phoenix (n.): Old English and Old French fenix, from Medieval Latin phenix, from Latin phoenix, from Greek phoinix, mythical bird of Arabia which flew to Egypt every 500 years to be reborn, also "the date" (fruit and tree), also "Phoenician," literally "purple-red," perhaps a foreign word (Egyptian has been suggested), or from phoinos "blood-red." Exact relation and order of the senses in Greek is unclear.
Ðone wudu weardaþ wundrum fæger
fugel feþrum se is fenix hatan
["Phoenix," c.900]
Spelling assimilated to Greek 16c. (see ph). Figurative sense of "that which rises from the ashes of what was destroyed" is attested from 1590s. The city in Arizona, U.S., so called because it was founded in 1867 on the site of an ancient Native American settlement.
phone (n.1): 1884, shortening of telephone (n.). Phone book first recorded 1925; phone booth 1927; phone bill 1901.
phone (v.): 1884, from phone (n.). Related: Phoned; phoning.
phone (n.2): "elementary sound of a spoken language," 1866, from Greek phone (see fame (n.)).
phoneme (n.): "distinctive sound or group of sounds," 1889, from French phonème, from Greek phonema "a sound made, voice," from phonein "to sound or speak," from phone "sound, voice," from PIE root *bha- (2) "speak" (see fame (n.)).
phonemic (adj.): 1933, from phoneme + -ic. Related: Phonemics (1936); phonemically.
phonetic (adj.): "representing vocal sounds," 1803, from Modern Latin phoneticus (1797), from Greek phonetikos "vocal," from phonetos "to be spoken, utterable," verbal adjective of phonein "to speak clearly, utter," from phone "sound, voice" (see fame (n.)).
phonetics (n.): "scientific study of speech," 1841, from phonetic; also see -ics.
phonic (adj.): "pertaining to sound," 1793, from Greek phone "voice" (see fame (n.)) + -ic.
phonics (n.): 1680s, "science of sound," from Greek phone "sound" (see fame (n.)) + -ics. As a method of teaching reading it is first attested 1908, though the system dates from 1844.
phono-: word-forming element meaning "sound, voice," from Greek phono-, comb. form of phone "voice, sound" (see fame (n.)).
phonogram (n.): 1845, "a written symbol," from phono- + -gram. From 1879 as "a sound recording."
phonograph (n.): 1835, "character representing a sound," literally "writer of sounds," from phono- "sound" + -graph "instrument for recording; something written," from Greek graphe "writing," from graphein "to write, express by written characters," earlier "to draw, represent by lines drawn" (see -graphy). Meaning "an instrument that produces sounds from records" (talking phonograph, invented by Thomas A. Edison) it is attested from 1877. The recording made from it at first was called a phonogram (1879).
phonographic (adj.): 1840, originally in reference to shorthand; see phono- + graphic. Modern sense from 1878.
phonolite (n.): a kind of volcanic rock that rings when struck, c.1830, literally "sounding stone," from phono- + -lite. Based on German klingstein.
phonological (adj.): 1818, from phonology + -ical. Related: Phonologically.
phonology (n.): 1799, from phono- + -logy.
phonophobia (n.): 1877, from phono- + -phobia.
phony (adj.): also phoney, "not genuine," 1899, perhaps an alteration of fawney "gilt brass ring used by swindlers."
His most successful swindle was selling "painted" or "phony" diamonds. He had a plan of taking cheap stones, and by "doctoring" them make them have a brilliant and high class appearance. His confederates would then take the diamonds to other pawnbrokers and dispose of them. ["The Jewelers Review," New York, April 5, 1899]
The noun meaning "phony person or thing" is attested from 1902.
phooey: expression of contempt, 1929, from Yiddish, from German pfui (attested in English from 1866); popularized by Walter Winchell. Phoo "vocalic gesture expressing contemptuous rejection" is recorded from 1640s.
phoresis (n.): see phoresy.
phoresy (n.): 1914, from French phorésie (1896), from Greek phoresis "being carried," from pherein "to carry" (see infer).
phosphate (n.): a salt of phosphoric acid, 1795, from French phosphate (1787), from phosphore (see phosphorus) + -ate (3).
phosphor (n.): "morning star," 1630s, from Latin phosphorus "the morning star" (see phosphorus). Meaning "anything phosphorescent" is from 1705.
phosphorescence (n.): 1796, from verb phosphoresce (1794; see phosphorescent) + -ence.
phosphorescent (adj.): 1766, from Modern Latin phosphorus (see phosphorus) + -escent. Related: Phosphorescently.
phosphoric (adj.): 1784, from French phosphorique, from phosphore (see phosphorous). Related: Phosphorical (1753).
phosphorous (adj.): 1777, "phosphorescent," from phosphorus + -ous. The chemical sense (1794) is immediately from French phosphoreux.
phosphorus (n.): "substance or organism that shines of itself," 1640s, from Latin phosphorus "light-bringing," also "the morning star" (a sense attested in English from 1620), from Greek Phosphoros "morning star," literally "torchbearer," from phos "light," contraction of phaos "light, daylight" (related to phainein "to show, to bring to light;" see phantasm) + phoros "bearer," from pherein "to carry" (see infer).

As the name of a non-metallic chemical element, it is recorded from 1680, originally one among several substances so called; the word used exclusively of the element from c.1750. It was discovered in 1669 by Henning Brand, merchant and alchemist of Hamburg, who derived it from urine. Lavoisier demonstrated it was an element in 1777. According to Flood, "It is the first element whose discoverer is known."
photic (adj.): 1843, "pertaining to light;" 1899, "pertaining to the parts of the ocean penetrated by sunlight," from Greek phot-, comb. form of Greek phos "light" (related to phainein "to show, to bring to light;" see phantasm) + -ic.
photo (n.): 1860, shortening of photograph. The verb is first recorded 1865, from the noun. Photo finish is attested from 1936. Photo opportunity first recorded 1974.
photo-: word-forming element meaning "light" or "photographic" or "photoelectric," from Greek photo-, comb. form of phos (genitive photos) "light," from PIE root *bha- "to shine" (see phantasm).
photocopier (n.): 1934, agent noun from photocopy (v.).
photocopy (v.): 1924 in the sense of "make a photographic reproduction," from photo- "photographic" + copy (v.). The usual modern meaning arose 1942 with the advent of xerography. The noun is recorded from 1934. Related: Photocopied; photocopying.
photogenic (adj.): 1839, "produced or caused by light," from photo- "light" + -genic "produced by" (see genus). Originally in photogenic drawing, the early term for "photography;" meaning "photographing well" is first attested 1928, from photo- as short for "photograph."
photograph (n.): 1839, "picture obtained by photography," coined by Sir John Herschel from photo- + -graph "instrument for recording," from Greek graphe "writing," from graphein "to write, express by written characters," earlier "to draw, represent by lines drawn" (see -graphy). It won out over other suggestions, such as photogene and heliograph. Neo-Anglo-Saxonists prefer sunprint. The verb, as well as photography, are first found in a paper read before the Royal Society on March 14, 1839.
photographer (n.): 1843, agent noun from photograph (v.). (Photographist also is attested from 1843).
photographic (adj.): 1839, from photograph + -ic. Photographic memory is from 1940. Related: Photographical; photographically.
photography (n.): 1839, from photo- + -graphy. See photograph.
photoinduction (n.): 1947, from photo- + induction.
photojournalism (n.): 1944, from photo- + journalism. Related: Photojournalist.
photomontage (n.): 1931, from photo + montage.
photon (n.): "unit of electromagnetic radiation," 1926 in modern sense, from photo- "light" + -on "unit."
photoperiodism (n.): 1920, from photoperiod (1920, from photo- + period) + -ism.
photophobia (n.): 1799, from photo- + -phobia. Related: Photophobic.