Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “flames” come from?

Flames comes from Middle English flaume, from Old French flame, from Latin flamma, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, a root meaning to shine or burn.

flames (English): plural of flame; Third-person singular simple...

Definitions

  1. plural of flame; Third-person singular simple...

Ancestry of “flames”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishflameThe visible part of fire; a stream of burning...
2Middle EnglishflawmeA flame; a visible tongue of gas and vapour...
3Middle EnglishflaumeAlternative form of flawme; Alternative form of...
4Old Frenchflamble—
5Latinflammula—
6Latinflammaflame, fire
7Latinflāgrāre—
8Latinfrāgrō—
9Proto-Italicfrāgrāō—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰreh₂gro-—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰreh₂g-to smell
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰreh₂g- →