Where does “vassal” come from?

vassal (French) comes from Middle French vassal, from Old French vassal, from Medieval Latin vassallus, from Latin vassus, from Gaulish wassos, from Proto-Celtic wāstos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁weh₂- — to leave, abandon, give out.

vassal (French): vassal; a vassal

Definitions

  1. vassal; a vassal

Ancestry of “vassal”, step by step

vassal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle French vassal

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchvassalvassal
2Old Frenchvassalvassal
3Medieval Latinvassallusmanservant, domestic, retainer
4Latinvassusvassal of vassals; servant
5Gaulishwassosyoung man, squire
6Proto-Celticwāstosempty
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁weh₂-to leave, abandon, give out

via Latin vassallus

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinvassallusvassal; servant

Words derived from “vassal”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁weh₂- →Every word from Proto-Celtic wāstos →Every word from Gaulish wassos →