Where does “nonchalant” come from?
Nonchalant comes from French nonchalant, from Old French nonchaloir meaning to not care, from Latin non combined with caleo meaning to be warm or to matter.
nonchalant (English): Casually calm and relaxed; Indifferent;...
Definitions
- Casually calm and relaxed; Indifferent;...
Ancestry of “nonchalant”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | nonchalant | Marked by a lack of vivacity, vigour, liveliness;... |
| 2 | Old French | nonchaloir | indifference; uncaringness; to ignore; to pay... |
| 3 | Old French | chaloir | to heat; to bother, to concern |
| 4 | Old French | chaleir | Alternative form of chaloir |
| 5 | Latin | calēre | — |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | kalēō | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱelh₁- | to warm up, to be hot; to warm up, be hot |