Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *perh₂-der. Proto-Hellenic *pórnē Ancient Greek πόρνη (pórnē) Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō Ancient Greek γράφω (gráphō) Ancient Greek -γρᾰ́φος (-grắphos) Ancient Greek πορνογράφος (pornográphos)lbor. French pornographiebor. English pornographyclip. English porn Clipping of pornography. First attested in the mid-20th century.