Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sputnik” come from?

sputnik (English) comes from Russian спу́тник, from Russian с-, from Proto-Slavic sъ(n), from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm, from Proto-Indo-European ḱe, from Middle English kyt, from German kitt, from Old High German kuti — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

sputnik (English): Any of a series of Soviet robotic space...

Definitions

  1. Any of a series of Soviet robotic space...

Ancestry of “sputnik”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianспу́тникsatellite; fellow traveller
2Russianс-down; off, from off
3Proto-Slavicsъ(n)with, accompanying, alongside; with, by means of,...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
6Middle Englishkyt—
7Germankitt—
8Old High Germankuti—
9Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
10Proto-Germanickweduzresin
11Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
12Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →