Where does “Chinese virus” come from?
Chinese virus (English) comes from English Chinese, from English China, from Portuguese china, from Medieval Latin Sina, from Latin Sīnae, from Ancient Greek Σῖναι, from Arabic صِين, from Pahlavi čīn — {{w|Qin |State of Qin}}, {{w|Qin dynasty}}; Qin.
Chinese virus (English): the virus that causes COVID-19
Definitions
- the virus that causes COVID-19
Ancestry of “Chinese virus”, step by step
Chinese virus traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Chinese
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Chinese | The people of China; All people of Chinese... |
| 2 | English | China | A Chinese person; Alternative form of cheyney:... |
| 3 | Portuguese | china | a woman, especially one of Native American... |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | Sina | — |
| 5 | Latin | Sīnae | the Chinese, specifically |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Σῖναι | the southern Chinese |
| 7 | Arabic | صِين | — |
| 8 | Pahlavi | čīn | — |
| 9 | Sanskrit | चीन | the Chinese people; China; a bandage for the... |
| 10 | Old Chinese | 秦 | {{w|Qin |State of Qin}}, {{w|Qin dynasty}}; Qin |
via English virus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | virus | A submicroscopic, non-cellular structure... |
| 2 | Latin | vīrus | — |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | -λογία | Base for nouns denoting the study of something,... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | λόγος | That which is said: word, sentence, speech,... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | λέγω | I put in order, arrange, gather; I choose, count,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | leǵ- | to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning to... |