Where does “safe” come from?

Safe comes from Middle English sauf, from Latin salvus, meaning "uninjured" or "whole."

safe (English): Not in danger; out of harm's reach; Free from...

Definitions

  1. Not in danger; out of harm's reach; Free from...

Ancestry of “safe”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishsaufNot having experienced harm, damage, or ill...
2Old Frenchsauf—
3Latinsalvussafe, saved, preserved, sound, unharmed,...
4Proto-Italic*salawoswhole
5Proto-Indo-Europeansolh₂wós—
6Proto-Indo-Europeansōlh₂-mercy, comfort; comfort, mercy

Words derived from “safe”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sōlh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European solh₂wós →Every word from Proto-Italic *salawos →