Where does “enclave” come from?
enclave (Dutch) comes from French enclave, from Middle French enclave, from Old French enclaver, from Vulgar Latin inclavare, from Late Latin clavare, from Latin clāvus, from Proto-Italic klāwos, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kleh₂w- — to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...
enclave (Dutch): enclave
Ancestry of “enclave”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | enclave | enclave |
| 2 | Middle French | enclave | enclave |
| 3 | Old French | enclaver | to inclose, lock in |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | inclavare | to lock in |
| 5 | Late Latin | clavare | present active infinitive of clāvō; to fasten... |
| 6 | Latin | clāvus | — |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | klāwos | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kleh₂w- | a hook, crook, peg |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kel- | to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,... |