The word "syllable" comes from the Middle English word *syllable*, which in turn was borrowed from the Old French word *sillabe*. This Old French term comes from the Latin word *syllaba*, meaning the same thing. The Latin was borrowed from the Ancient Greek word συλλαβή (*syllabē*), which is derived from συν- (*syn-*, "together") and λαμβάνειν (*lambanein*, "to take"). Therefore, the etymological roots of "syllable" convey the idea of “a taking together” of sounds.