Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bucolic” come from?

Bucolic comes from Latin bucolicus, from Ancient Greek βουκολικός, derived from βουκόλος, a cowherd formed from Proto-Indo-European kʷel-, meaning to drive or move.

bucolic (English): Rustic, pastoral, country-styled; Relating to the...

Definitions

  1. Rustic, pastoral, country-styled; Relating to the...

Ancestry of “bucolic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchbucoliquebucolic, rustic
2Latinbūcolicus—
3Ancient Greekβουκολικόςrustic, pastoral, bucolic; pastoral poetry
4Ancient GreekβουκόλοςA person who tends cattle: cowherd; A follower of...
5Ancient Greekβοῦςcow, ox, cattle; shield: ὃτι ἐκ βοείων ἐστι...
6LatincorvusA raven; a bird associated with prophecy and...
7Proto-Italickorwos—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱorh₂wós—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
11Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army

Words derived from “bucolic”

  • bucolically
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker- →