Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “undercity” come from?

undercity (English) comes from English city, from Middle English cite, from Old French citet, from Latin cīvitās, from Proto-Italic keiwis, from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- — to be lying down; to settle.

undercity (English): A subterranean city

Definitions

  1. A subterranean city

Ancestry of “undercity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcityA large settlement, bigger than a town; sometimes...
2Middle Englishcitecity
3Old FrenchcitetAlternative form of cité
4Latincīvitās—
5Proto-Italickeiwissociety; citizen
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- →