Where does “bistro” come from?

Bistro comes from French bistro, from Russian бы́стро meaning "quickly," allegedly adopted by Russian soldiers during the occupation of Paris following the Napoleonic Wars.

bistro (English): A small restaurant; A small bar or pub

Definitions

  1. A small restaurant; A small bar or pub

Ancestry of “bistro”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchbistrobistro
2Russianбы́строquickly
3Russianбы́стрыйfast, quick, speedy, rapid
4Old East Slavicбыстрыи—
5Proto-Slavicbystrъquick; penetrating, transparent
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰūsro-—

Words derived from “bistro”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰūsro- →Every word from Proto-Slavic bystrъ →Every word from Old East Slavic быстрыи →