Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “traître” come from?

traître (French) comes from Old French traïtor, from Latin trāditor, from Latin trādō, from Latin trāns, from Latin Padus, from Lepontic Bodincus, from Proto-Indo-European bʰudʰmḗn, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ- — smoke; mist, haze.

traître (French): betrayer, traitor; treacherous

Definitions

  1. betrayer, traitor; treacherous

Ancestry of “traître”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old FrenchtraïtorAlternative form of traitor
2Latintrāditor—
3Latintrādō—
4Latintrāns—
5LatinPadus—
6LeponticBodincus—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰudʰmḗnbottom
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
9Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

Words derived from “traître”

  • traitress
  • traîtresse
  • traîtrise
  • trèt
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →