Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “tortue” come from?

tortue (French) comes from Middle French tortue, from Old Occitan tortuga, from Late Latin tartarucha, from Latin tartarūchus, from Ancient Greek ταρταροῦχος, from Ancient Greek ἔχω, from Proto-Hellenic hékʰō, from Proto-Indo-European seǵʰ- — to hold; to overpower.

tortue (French): turtle or tortoise

Definitions

  1. turtle or tortoise

Ancestry of “tortue”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchtortueturtle
2Old Occitantortuga—
3Late Latintartarucha—
4Latintartarūchus—
5Ancient Greekταρταροῦχοςholder of Tartaros, Tartarus, the land of the...
6Ancient GreekἔχωI have, possess, contain, own; I hold; I have...
7Proto-Hellenichékʰō—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanseǵʰ-to hold; to overpower

Words derived from “tortue”

  • tòti
Every word from Proto-Indo-European seǵʰ- →