Where does “souvenir” come from?
Souvenir comes from French souvenir, from Middle French soubvenir, from Latin subvenio meaning to come to mind, from Latin venio meaning to come, from Proto-Indo-European gʷem-.
souvenir (English): An item of sentimental value, to remember an...
Definitions
- An item of sentimental value, to remember an...
Ancestry of “souvenir”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | souvenir | to remember; memory; souvenir |
| 2 | Middle French | soubvenir | to remember |
| 3 | Old French | sovenir | to remember; to recall |
| 4 | Latin | subveniō | to support, assist, come to the aid of, rescue |
| 5 | Latin | veniō | to come (to a place), come in, arrive, reach |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | gʷenjō | to come |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷm̥yéti | to come |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 10 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |