Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “artifice” come from?

artifice (French) comes from Latin artificium, from Latin artifex, from Latin ars, from Proto-Italic artis, from Proto-Indo-European h₂értis, from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- — to fit, to fix, to put together.

artifice (French): artifice, trick, ploy; device

Definitions

  1. artifice, trick, ploy; device

Ancestry of “artifice”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinartificiumart, craft, trade; skill, talent, artifice,...
2Latinartifexartist, actor; craftsman, master; mastermind,...
3Latinarsart; skill, craft, handicraft, trade, power
4Proto-Italicartis—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂értisfitting
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together

Words derived from “artifice”

  • artificier
  • artificiu
  • artificala
  • artifico
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- →