Where does “zebra” come from?

zebra (Basque) comes from Spanish cebra, from Old Spanish ezebra, from Vulgar Latin eciferus, from Latin equiferus, from Latin equus, from Proto-Italic ekwos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁éḱwos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁oh₁ḱu- — swift.

zebra (Basque): zebra

Definitions

  1. zebra

Ancestry of “zebra”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishcebrazebra
2Old Spanishezebra
3Vulgar Latineciferusfool, wild ass, donkey; wild horse
4Latinequiferuswild horse
5Latinequusa horse; a steed, charger
6Proto-Italicekwoshorse
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁éḱwosstallion, horse
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁oh₁ḱu-swift
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁oh₁ḱu-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁éḱwosEvery word from Proto-Italic ekwos
zebra — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer