Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “zephyr” come from?

Zephyr comes from Latin zephyrus, from Ancient Greek Ζέφυρος, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃yebʰ-.

zephyr (English): A light wind from the west; Any light refreshing...

Definitions

  1. A light wind from the west; Any light refreshing...

Ancestry of “zephyr”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinzephyrusZephyrus, the west wind
2Ancient GreekΖέφῠροςpersonification of the west wind; west wind
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃yebʰ-to copulate, have sex

Words derived from “zephyr”

  • zephyrous
  • zephyrlike
  • zephyrless
  • zephyry
  • zephyrette
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃yebʰ- →