Where does “Pax” come from?
Pax derives from Latin pax, traced to Proto-Indo-European peh₂ǵ- and peh₂ḱ-, roots meaning to fasten or make firm, from which the sense of peace as binding agreement developed.
Ancestry of “Pax”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | pax | — |
| 2 | Latin | pāx | — |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | pāks | peace |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | péh₂ḱ-s | peace |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₂ḱ- | to join, to attach; agreement, settlement |