Where does “Neuchâtel” come from?
Neuchâtel (French) comes from Old French nuef, from Latin novem, from Latin novo, from Proto-Italic nowāō, from Proto-Indo-European néweh₂ti, from Proto-Indo-European néwos, from Proto-Indo-European new- — new; to nod, assent to.
Ancestry of “Neuchâtel”, step by step
Neuchâtel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French nuef
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | nuef | nine; brand new, fresh, new |
| 2 | Latin | novem | nine; 9; first-person singular present active... |
| 3 | Latin | novo | I make new, renew, refresh; I alter, change;... |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | nowāō | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | néweh₂ti | to renew |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | néwos | new |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | new- | new; to nod, assent to |
via Old French chatel
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | chatel | possession; Alternative form of chastel |
| 2 | Latin | capitāle | capital crime |
| 3 | Latin | capitālis | of the head or life |
| 4 | Latin | caput | head; headlike protuberance on an organ or body... |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | kaput | head |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | káput | head |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kap- | to seize, hold |