Etymology Explorer › Czech

Where does “klíč” come from?

klíč (Czech) comes from Slovak kľúč, from Proto-Slavic kľučь, from Proto-Balto-Slavic kljaukjas, from Proto-Indo-European klewk-yo-s, from Proto-Indo-European kle(h₂)uk-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kleh₂w-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- — to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...

klíč (Czech): key; wrench , spanner; clef

Definitions

  1. key; wrench , spanner; clef

Ancestry of “klíč”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Slovakkľúčkey
2Proto-Slavickľučьkey
3Proto-Balto-Slavickljaukjas—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanklewk-yo-s—
5Proto-Indo-Europeankle(h₂)uk-—
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kleh₂w-a hook, crook, peg
7Proto-Indo-European(s)kel-to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- →