Where does “congolais” come from?
congolais (French) comes from French ais, from Latin axis, from Proto-Italic aksis, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱs-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- — to drive.
congolais (French): Congolese
Ancestry of “congolais”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | ais | board, plank |
| 2 | Latin | axis | An axletree of wagon, car, chariot; The North... |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | aksis | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱs- | axis, axle |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |