Where does “Auto” come from?
Auto (German) comes from German automobil, from Spanish automóvil, from Russian автомоби́ль, from French automobile, from French auto-, from Ancient Greek αὐτο-, from Ancient Greek αὐτός, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ew — Postpositional intensifying particle: indeed, at any rate, in fact.
Auto (German): car
Definitions
- car
Ancestry of “Auto”, step by step
Auto traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German automobil
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | automobil | automobile |
| 2 | Spanish | automóvil | automobile |
| 3 | Russian | автомоби́ль | car, automobile, motorcar |
| 4 | French | automobile | automotive; automobile |
| 5 | French | auto- | auto- regarding oneself |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | αὐτο- | self- |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | αὐτός | αὐτή f, αὐτό n; "first/second declension";... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ew | away from, off; again |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰe | Postpositional intensifying particle: indeed, at any rate, in fact |
via French auto
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | auto | car |