Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “commando” come from?

Commando comes from Afrikaans kommando, from Portuguese comando, from Latin commandare, meaning "to command," formed from com- "together" and manus "hand."

commando (English): A small fighting force specially trained for...

Definitions

  1. A small fighting force specially trained for...

Ancestry of “commando”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Afrikaanskommando—
2Portuguesecomandoorder; command; command; first place while a...
3Portuguesecomandarto command; to order; to command; to lead; to...
4Frenchcommanderto order
5Middle Frenchcommander—
6Old Frenchcomanderto command, to implore; to request, to ask for;...
7Latincommandō—
8Latincommendō—
9Latincōn-—
10Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
11Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
12Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
13Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
14Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
15Middle Englishkyt—
16Germankitt—
17Old High Germankuti—
18Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
19Proto-Germanickweduzresin
20Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak

Words derived from “commando”

  • commandolike
  • κομάντο
  • komando
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet- →