Where does “Eau Claire” come from?
Eau Claire (French) comes from French EAU, from Middle French eau, from Old French ewe, from Latin aqua, from Proto-Italic akʷā, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ekʷeh₂ — water, flowing water.
Ancestry of “Eau Claire”, step by step
Eau Claire traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via French EAU
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | EAU | water, a liquid that is transparent, colorless, odorless and tasteless in its pure form, the primary constituent of lakes, rivers, seas and oceans |
| 2 | Middle French | eau | water |
| 3 | Old French | ewe | water |
| 4 | Latin | aqua | water |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | akʷā | water |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ekʷeh₂ | water, flowing water |