Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “sénéchal” come from?

sénéchal (French) comes from Old French seneschal, from Medieval Latin siniscalcus, from Frankish siniskalk, from Proto-Germanic siniskalkaz, from Proto-Germanic skalkaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kelH-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- — to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...

sénéchal (French): seneschal; guardian; protector

Definitions

  1. seneschal; guardian; protector

Ancestry of “sénéchal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchseneschalseneschal
2Medieval Latinsiniscalcusseneschal, steward, mayordomo
3Frankishsiniskalkseneschal
4Proto-Germanicsiniskalkaz—
5Proto-Germanicskalkazservant
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kelH-to cut; to split, to separate
7Proto-Indo-European(s)kel-to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...

Words derived from “sénéchal”

  • сенешаль
  • seneschaucie
  • sénéchaussée
  • sénéchaux
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- →