Where does “Slavs” come from?
Slavs derives from Middle English sclave, Medieval Latin Sclavus, Byzantine Greek Σκλάβος, and Ancient Greek Σκλαβηνός, originally denoting the Slavic peoples of southeastern Europe.
Slavs (English): plural of Slav
Definitions
- plural of Slav
Ancestry of “Slavs”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Slav | A member of any of the peoples from Eastern... |
| 2 | Middle English | sclave | slave individual held in slavery |
| 3 | French | esclave | slave |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | sclavus | Slav, slave; slave |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Σκλάβος | Slav |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Σκλαβηνός | Slavic |
| 7 | Proto-Slavic | slověninъ | Slav |
| 8 | Proto-Slavic | slovo | word |
| 9 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | ślawas | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱléwos | fame |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱlew- | to hear |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |