Where does “familiar” come from?
Familiar comes from Latin familiaris, formed with the suffix -aris from Latin famulus, which derives from Proto-Indo-European dʰh₁-m-eló-, ultimately from the root dʰeh₁-.
familiar (English): Known to one, or generally known; commonplace;...
Definitions
- Known to one, or generally known; commonplace;...
Ancestry of “familiar”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | familiaris | of or pertaining to servants; of or pertaining to... |
| 2 | Latin | familia | family; household; A quantity of land adequate... |
| 3 | Latin | famulus | serving, servile; a servant, slave |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | famelos | servile, domestic |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰh₁-m-eló- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰeh₁- | to do, put, place |