Where does “cauchemar” come from?
cauchemar (French) comes from Middle French cauchemare, from Old French cauquemare, from Norman cauche, from Old French chauce, from Vulgar Latin calcea, from Latin calceus, from Latin calx, from Ancient Greek χάλιξ — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.
cauchemar (French): nightmare
Definitions
- nightmare
Ancestry of “cauchemar”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | cauchemare | nightmare |
| 2 | Old French | cauquemare | nightmare |
| 3 | Norman | cauche | stocking |
| 4 | Old French | chauce | stocking |
| 5 | Vulgar Latin | calcea | garment covering foot and leg |
| 6 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 7 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |