Where does “Basil” come from?
Basil (English) comes from Old French basile, from Latin basilicum, from Ancient Greek βασιλικός, from Ancient Greek -ικός, from Ancient Greek -κός, from Proto-Indo-European -ḱos — -y, -ic.
Basil (English): in quiet but steady use in the UK
Definitions
- in quiet but steady use in the UK
Ancestry of “Basil”, step by step
Basil traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French basile
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | basile | basil |
| 2 | Latin | basilicum | a royal or princely robe; basil; nominative... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | βασιλικός | royal, kingly, regal |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -ικός | of or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -κός | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -ḱos | -y, -ic |