Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Boko Haram” come from?

Boko Haram (English) comes from Hausa boko, from English book, from Middle English booke, from Old English bōc, from Proto-Germanic bōk, from Proto-Germanic bakaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₃g- — to bake, to roast, to fry.

Ancestry of “Boko Haram”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hausabokofraud, deceit, trick; a mock or imitation version...
2EnglishbookA collection of sheets of paper bound together to...
3Middle Englishbookebook; Alternative form of bouk
4Old Englishbōcbeech; book
5Proto-Germanicbōk—
6Proto-Germanicbakanąto bake
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₃g-to bake, to roast, to fry

Words derived from “Boko Haram”

  • Boko
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₃g- →