Where does “silent” come from?

Silent derives from Latin silens, the present participle of sileo, from Proto-Indo-European seyl-.

silent (English): Free from sound or noise; absolutely still;...

Definitions

  1. Free from sound or noise; absolutely still;...

Ancestry of “silent”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsilensresting, ceasing, remaining silent
2Latinsileōto be silent, noiseless, quiet, make no sound; speak not, to be quiet
3Proto-Indo-Europeanseyl-still, windless, quiet, slow; to be silent

Words derived from “silent”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European seyl- →Every word from Latin sileō →Every word from Latin silens →