Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “creme” come from?

Crème comes from Old French cresme, from Ancient Greek χρῖσμα, meaning anointing oil, ultimately from the root χρίω meaning to anoint.

creme (English): A very sugary, fluffy white cream derivative;...

Definitions

  1. A very sugary, fluffy white cream derivative;...

Ancestry of “creme”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcrèmecream; cool; café crème
2Middle Frenchchresme—
3Old Frenchcresmecream
4Late Latincramaskim; nominative plural of crāmum; accusative...
5Late Latinchrismaointment
6Ancient Greekχρῖσμαanointing, unction; wall coating, plaster
7Ancient Greekχρίωto smear with , rub on something; to anoint with...
8Proto-Indo-Europeangʰrēy-to smear; to paint, streak, smear
9Proto-Indo-Europeangʰer-to rub; to stroke; to grind

Words derived from “creme”

  • creme
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰer- →