Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “czar” come from?

Czar comes from Russian царь, from Latin Caesar, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kéysero-.

czar (English): Alternative spelling of tsar; An appointed...

Definitions

  1. Alternative spelling of tsar; An appointed...

Ancestry of “czar”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianцарьtsar, Russian emperor; king
2Old East Slavicцьсарь—
3Old East Slavicцѣсарьemperor, king
4Proto-Slaviccěsařьemperor, king
5Proto-Germanickaisarazemperor
6LatinCaesarJulius Caesar; emperor
7Latincaesariesor hair
8Proto-Indo-Europeankéysero-hair

Words derived from “czar”

  • czarist
  • czarish
  • czardom
  • czarlike
  • czarship
  • tsarate
  • cyberczar
  • czarate
  • czaric
  • czarocracy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kéysero- →