Where does “Cherbourg” come from?
Cherbourg (French) comes from Middle French Chierbourg, from Old French Chieresburg, from Old Norse kjarr, from Proto-Germanic kaisaraz, from Latin Caesar, from Latin caesaries, from Proto-Indo-European kéysero- — hair.
Ancestry of “Cherbourg”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | Chierbourg | — |
| 2 | Old French | Chieresburg | — |
| 3 | Old Norse | kjarr | copsewood, brushwood, thicket |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | kaisaraz | emperor |
| 5 | Latin | Caesar | Julius Caesar; emperor |
| 6 | Latin | caesaries | or hair |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kéysero- | hair |