Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “save” come from?

Save comes from Middle English saven, from Old French sauver, from Latin salvare, derived from the adjective salvus meaning safe or whole.

save (English): In various sports, a block that prevents an...

Definitions

  1. In various sports, a block that prevents an...

Ancestry of “save”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsaven—
2Old Frenchsauverto save
3Gallo-Romancesalvar—
4Latinsalvō—
5Latinsalvussafe, saved, preserved, sound, unharmed,...
6Proto-Italic*salawos—
7Proto-Indo-Europeansolh₂wós—
8Proto-Indo-Europeansōlh₂-mercy, comfort; comfort, mercy

Words derived from “save”

  • saving
  • saver
  • lifesaving
  • lifesaver
  • sauf
  • saveth
  • savingly
  • screensaver
  • laborsaving
  • timesaving
  • timesaver
  • savepoint
  • resave
  • savest
  • savable
  • facesaving
  • dissave
  • autosave
  • unsavable
  • supersaver
  • undersave
  • oversave
  • unsave
  • savingness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sōlh₂- →