Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Slovakia” come from?

Slovakia derives from Slovak Slovák, from Slovak slovo meaning "word," from Proto-Slavic slovo, from Proto-Indo-European ḱléwos, ultimately from the root ḱel-.

Ancestry of “Slovakia”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1SlovakSlováka man from Slovakia, a male Slovak; a male...
2SlovakSlovanSlav
3Proto-SlavicslověninъSlav
4Proto-Slavicslovoword
5Proto-Balto-Slavicślawas—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱléwosfame
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱlew-to hear
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

Words derived from “Slovakia”

  • Slovakian
  • スロバキア
  • স্ল'ভাকিয়া
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- →