Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “quatrefoil” come from?

quatrefoil (English) comes from Old French quatrefoil, from Old French quatre, from Latin quattŭor, from Portuguese quarto, from Old Portuguese quarto, from Latin quārtus, from Proto-Indo-European kʷeturtos, from Proto-Indo-European kʷetwóres — and.

quatrefoil (English): A symmetrical shape that forms the overall...

Definitions

  1. A symmetrical shape that forms the overall...

Ancestry of “quatrefoil”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchquatrefoil—
2Old Frenchquatrefour
3Latinquattŭor—
4Portuguesequartoordinal form of quatro; fourth; quarter; fourth;...
5Old Portuguesequartoquarter
6Latinquārtus—
7Proto-Indo-Europeankʷeturtos—
8Proto-Indo-Europeankʷetwóresfour
9Proto-Indo-Europeankʷe-and
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷe- →