Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Kaiser” come from?

Kaiser derives from German Kaiser, from Latin Caesar, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kéysero-, a root of uncertain original meaning that became associated with Roman imperial rule.

Kaiser (English): An emperor of a German-speaking country,...

Definitions

  1. An emperor of a German-speaking country,...

Ancestry of “Kaiser”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germankaiser—
2Middle High Germankeiser—
3Old High Germankeisaremperor
4Indonesiankaisaremperor; empress
5Dutchkeizeremperor
6Middle Dutchkeiser—
7Old Dutchkeiseremperor
8Proto-Germanickaisarazemperor
9LatinCaesarJulius Caesar; emperor
10Latincaesariesor hair
11Proto-Indo-Europeankéysero-hair

Words derived from “Kaiser”

  • kaiser
  • kaisership
  • kaiserdom
  • Kaiser
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kéysero- →