Where does “Slav” come from?
Slav comes from Middle English sclave, from Medieval Latin Sclavus, from Byzantine Greek Σκλάβος, from Ancient Greek Σκλαβηνός.
Slav (English): A member of any of the peoples from Eastern...
Definitions
- A member of any of the peoples from Eastern...
Ancestry of “Slav”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | sclave | slave individual held in slavery |
| 2 | French | esclave | slave |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | sclavus | Slav, slave; slave |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | Σκλάβος | Slav |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Σκλαβηνός | Slavic |
| 6 | Proto-Slavic | slověninъ | Slav |
| 7 | Proto-Slavic | slovo | word |
| 8 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | ślawas | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱléwos | fame |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱlew- | to hear |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |