Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bus” come from?

bus (English) comes from English omnibus, from French omnibus, from Latin omnibus, from Latin omnis, from Proto-Italic opnis, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ep-ni-s, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ep- — to work, toil, make; ability, force.

bus (English): A motor vehicle for transporting large numbers of...

Definitions

  1. A motor vehicle for transporting large numbers of...

Ancestry of “bus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishomnibusA vehicle set up to carry many people; An...
2FrenchomnibusPertaining to a local; omnibus, bus
3Latinomnibusdative masculine plural of omnis; dative feminine...
4Latinomnisevery; all
5Proto-Italicopnis—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ep-ni-sworking
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ep-to work, toil, make; ability, force

Words derived from “bus”

  • Airbus
  • minibus
  • busboy
  • busbar
  • busload
  • trolleybus
  • busway
  • autobus
  • superbus
  • busman
  • microbus
  • airbus
  • motorbus
  • busser
  • waterbus
  • multibus
  • embus
  • shuttlebus
  • bussy
  • busgirl
  • busful
  • busfare
  • taxibus
  • buslike
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ep- →