Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Butler” come from?

Butler (German) comes from English Butler, from Middle English butler, from Old French butiller, from Old French boteille, from Latin butticula, from Latin buttis, from Ancient Greek πυτίνη, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeHw- — to swell, puff.

Butler (German): A butler, chief male servant, majordomo

Definitions

  1. A butler, chief male servant, majordomo

Ancestry of “Butler”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishButler—
2Middle Englishbutler—
3Old Frenchbutillerbutler
4Old Frenchboteille—
5Latinbutticulabottle
6Latinbuttiscask, barrel
7Ancient Greekπυτίνηa flagon, flask
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰeHw-to swell, puff
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeHw- →