Where does “arca” come from?

arca (Galician) comes from Old Portuguese arca, from Latin arca, from Latin arceo, from Proto-Italic arkeō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂erk- — to protect, guard, hold, lock.

arca (Galician): starboard; ark; chest; coffer; box; casket

Definitions

  1. starboard; ark; chest; coffer; box; casket

Ancestry of “arca”, step by step

arca traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Portuguese arca

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Portuguesearca
2Latinarcachest, box, coffer, safe; coffin; ark
3LatinarceoI shut up, enclose; box in; I keep off, ward off;...
4Proto-Italicarkeōto contain
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂erk-to protect, guard, hold, lock

via Old Portuguese arqua

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Portuguesearqua
2Latinarquatanominative feminine singular of arquātus;...

via Old Portuguese archa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Portuguesearcha
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂erk-Every word from Proto-Italic arkeōEvery word from Latin arceo