Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “inconnu” come from?

inconnu (French) comes from French connu, from French connaître, from Old French conoistre, from Latin cognōscere, from Latin co-, from Latin cōn-, from Latin cum, from Old Latin com — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

inconnu (French): unknown, obscure, unfamiliar, strange; unknown,...

Definitions

  1. unknown, obscure, unfamiliar, strange; unknown,...

Ancestry of “inconnu”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchconnuknown; famous; a well-known person
2Frenchconnaîtreto know , to be familiar with; to know, to...
3Old Frenchconoistreto know; to recognize
4Latincognōscere—
5Latinco-allomorph of con-
6Latincōn-—
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt—
13Germankitt—
14Old High Germankuti—
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
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