Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “car” come from?

Car derives from Proto-Germanic karzijaną, from Proto-Indo-European gers-, from Latin carra and carrus, from Gaulish karros, from Proto-Celtic karros, from Proto-Indo-European ḱr̥sós and ḱers-.

car (English): A wheeled vehicle that moves independently, with...

Definitions

  1. A wheeled vehicle that moves independently, with...

Ancestry of “car”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcarre—
2Anglo-Normancarrecart
3Latincarra—
4Latincarrusa wagon, a four-wheeled baggage cart; a cartload,...
5Gaulishkarroswagon
6Proto-Celtickarroswagon
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱr̥sósvehicle
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱers-to run

Words derived from “car”

  • cars
  • streetcar
  • carload
  • boxcar
  • motorcar
  • carport
  • carpool
  • sidecar
  • railcar
  • tramcar
  • carman
  • carfare
  • carr
  • carmaker
  • aircar
  • flatcar
  • carsick
  • handcar
  • horsecar
  • supercar
  • carless
  • carbarn
  • multicar
  • carmaking
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱers- →