Where does “Calais” come from?

Calais (English) comes from Middle English Caleys, from Anglo-Norman Caleis, from Latin Caletum, from Proto-Celtic kaletos, from Proto-Indo-European kal- — hard; beautiful; handsome.

Calais (English): both states have a Washington County

Definitions

  1. both states have a Washington County

Ancestry of “Calais”, step by step

Calais traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English Caleys

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishCaleys—
2Anglo-NormanCaleis—
3LatinCaletumCalais
4Proto-Celtickaletoshard
5Proto-Indo-Europeankal-hard; beautiful; handsome

via French calais

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcalaisfirst-person singular imperfect indicative of...
2Frenchcalerto wedge (open) (a door)
3Old Occitancalar—
4Ancient GreekχαλάωI slacken; I loosen; I become slack; I become...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kal- →