Where does “свет” come from?
свет (Belarusian) comes from Old East Slavic свѣтъ, from Proto-Slavic světъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic śwaitas, from Proto-Indo-European ḱweyt- — to shine.
свет (Belarusian): world
Ancestry of “свет”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old East Slavic | свѣтъ | world; society |
| 2 | Proto-Slavic | světъ | light; world |
| 3 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | śwaitas | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱweyt- | to shine |