Where does “signal” come from?

signal (French) comes from Old French segnal, from Medieval Latin signale, from Latin signālis, from Latin signum, from Proto-Italic seknom, from Proto-Indo-European sek- — to cut, cut off, sever.

signal (French): signal

Definitions

  1. signal

Ancestry of “signal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchsegnalemblem; badge; signature; distinguishing mark...
2Medieval Latinsignalesignal
3Latinsignālis
4Latinsignumvisible indication: sign, mark, signal; seal,...
5Proto-Italicseknomsign
6Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

Words derived from “signal

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek-Every word from Proto-Italic seknomEvery word from Latin signum