Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “czar” come from?

czar (French) comes from Russian царь, from Old East Slavic цьсарь, from Old East Slavic цѣсарь, from Proto-Slavic cěsařь, from Proto-Germanic kaisaraz, from Latin Caesar, from Latin caesaries, from Proto-Indo-European kéysero- — hair.

czar (French): Alternative spelling of tsar

Definitions

  1. Alternative spelling of tsar

Ancestry of “czar”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianцарьtsar, Russian emperor; king
2Old East Slavicцьсарь—
3Old East Slavicцѣсарьemperor, king
4Proto-Slaviccěsařьemperor, king
5Proto-Germanickaisarazemperor
6LatinCaesarJulius Caesar; emperor
7Latincaesariesor hair
8Proto-Indo-Europeankéysero-hair
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kéysero- →