Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “kinder” come from?

Kinder derives from English kind, which comes from Old French -er and Latin -are, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- meaning to beget or produce.

kinder (English): comparative form of kind: more kind; Alternative...

Definitions

  1. comparative form of kind: more kind; Alternative...

Ancestry of “kinder”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishkindA type, race or category; a group of entities...
2Middle Englishkynde—
3Middle English-nesseAffixed to adjectives to form abstract nouns...
4Old English-nesUsed to form abstract nouns, usually from...
5Proto-West Germanic-nassīUsed to form abstract nouns, usually from...
6Proto-Germanic-inassuz-ness
7Proto-West Germanic-ī-ness, -th
8Proto-Germanic-į̄-th
9Proto-Indo-European-íh₂—
10Proto-Indo-European-h₂Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -h₂ →