Where does “Sussex” come from?
Sussex derives from Old English suþ, from Proto-Germanic sunþrą and sunþraz, from Proto-Germanic sahsą, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sek-.
Sussex (English): A placename
Ancestry of “Sussex”, step by step
Sussex traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English Seaxe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | Seaxe | Saxons |
| 2 | Old English | Seaxa | a Saxon; Saxon |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | sahs | dagger, knife |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | sahsą | a stone chip used for cutting; dagger, knife |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sek- | to cut, cut off, sever |
via Old English suþ
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | suþ | south |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | sunþrą | south; south, southward |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | sóh₂wl̥ | sun |
Words derived from “Sussex”