Where does “cit” come from?
Cit comes from Middle English citezein, from Old French citezein, derived from Old French cité, ultimately from Latin civitas meaning "state" or "community of citizens."
cit (English): A citizen; a townsman, city dweller
Definitions
- A citizen; a townsman, city dweller
Ancestry of “cit”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | citizen | A resident of a city or town, especially one with... |
| 2 | Middle English | citeseyn | A freeman or burgher: a legally-recognized member... |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | citesain | burgher; city-dweller |
| 4 | Old French | citeain | — |
| 5 | Old French | cité | city |
| 6 | Latin | cīvitās | — |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | keiwis | society; citizen |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱey- | to be lying down; to settle |