Where does “aristocrate” come from?
aristocrate (French) comes from French aristocratie, from Middle French aristocratie, from Medieval Latin aristocratia, from Ancient Greek ἀριστοκρατίᾱ, from Ancient Greek ἄριστος, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éristos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- — to fit, to fix, to put together.
aristocrate (French): aristocratic; aristocrat, noble
Definitions
- aristocratic; aristocrat, noble
Ancestry of “aristocrate”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | aristocratie | an aristocracy |
| 2 | Middle French | aristocratie | — |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | aristocratia | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἀριστοκρατίᾱ | aristocracy; the rule of the best; the rule of... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἄριστος | best (in multivarious contexts) |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éristos | fittest, most fitting, most suitable |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂er- | to fit, to fix, to put together |