Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bildungsroman” come from?

bildungsroman (English) comes from German Bildungsroman, from German roman, from French roman, from Old French romanz, from Latin rōmānicē, from Latin -ē, from Latin dis-, from Latin calceus — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

bildungsroman (English): A novel tracing the spiritual, moral,...

Definitions

  1. A novel tracing the spiritual, moral,...

Ancestry of “bildungsroman”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanBildungsromanA bildungsroman, a novel of personal maturation
2Germanroman—
3FrenchromanRomance; romanesque; A novel
4Old FrenchromanzOld French; a story in Old French; account
5Latinrōmānicē—
6Latin-ē—
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →