E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Histrion’ic
is from the Etruscan word hister (a dancer), histrio’nes (ballet-dancers). Hence, histrio in Latin means a stage-player, and our word histrionic, pertaining to the drama. History is quite another word, being the Greek historia, histor, a judge, allied to histamai, to know.
