Etymology Explorer › Dutch

Where does “zebra” come from?

zebra (Dutch) comes from Portuguese zebra, from Old Portuguese enzebro, from Old Portuguese cebrario, from Vulgar Latin eciferus, from Latin equiferus, from Latin equus, from Proto-Italic ekwos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁éḱwos — swift.

zebra (Dutch): A zebra, a black-and-white striped equid of the...

Definitions

  1. A zebra, a black-and-white striped equid of the...

Ancestry of “zebra”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Portuguesezebrazebra
2Old Portugueseenzebro—
3Old Portuguesecebrario—
4Vulgar Latineciferusfool, wild ass, donkey; wild horse
5Latinequiferuswild horse
6Latinequusa horse; a steed, charger
7Proto-Italicekwoshorse
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁éḱwosstallion, horse
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁oh₁ḱu-swift

Words derived from “zebra”

  • zebrahaai
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁oh₁ḱu- →