Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Saxon” come from?

Saxon derives from Middle English Saxe, though the ultimate origin and meaning remain unclear.

Saxon (English): A member of an ancient West Germanic tribe that...

Definitions

  1. A member of an ancient West Germanic tribe that...

Ancestry of “Saxon”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinSaxō—
2Frenchsaxophonesaxophone; first-person singular present...
3French-phonespeaker of a specific language; something that...
4Ancient Greekφωνήsound; Usually of the human voice: voice, cry,...
5Proto-Hellenicpʰōnā́—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰoh₂-néh₂—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-to shine, glow light; to speak, say
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-s-ri-—

Words derived from “Saxon”

  • saxonite
  • Anglo-Saxon
  • Anglo-Saxondom
  • Anglo-Saxonism
  • Anglo-Saxonist
  • Semi-Saxon
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-s-ri- →