Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “bénévole” come from?

bénévole (French) comes from Latin benevolus, from Latin bene, from Latin bonus, from Old Latin duenos, from Proto-Italic dwenos, from Proto-Indo-European dew- — to show favour, revere; to fail, to lag, to be...

bénévole (French): voluntary; volunteer

Definitions

  1. voluntary; volunteer

Ancestry of “bénévole”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinbenevolusbenevolent, kind, friendly, favorable
2Latinbenewell; properly, exactly; agreeably, favorably
3Latinbonusgood, honest, brave, noble, kind, pleasant;...
4Old LatinduenosAlternative form of duonus
5Proto-Italicdwenosgood
6Proto-Indo-Europeandew-to show favour, revere; to fail, to lag, to be...

Words derived from “bénévole”

  • bénévolat
  • bénévolement
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dew- →