Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Serbian” come from?

Serbian derives from English Serb, from Latin Serbi, combining the Latin suffix -ianus with Latin -ius, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ser- and Proto-Indo-European -yós.

Serbian (English): A native or inhabitant of Serbia; A Serb; The...

Definitions

  1. A native or inhabitant of Serbia; A Serb; The...

Ancestry of “Serbian”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishSerbA person of Serb descent; Of or pertaining to the...
2Serbo-CroatianSrbi—
3Proto-Slavicsьrbъally
4Proto-Indo-Europeansēr-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanser-to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ser- →