Etymology Explorer › Greek

Where does “καρφί” come from?

καρφί (Greek) comes from Ancient Greek καρφίον, from Ancient Greek κάρφος, from Ancient Greek κάρφω, from Proto-Indo-European (s)krebʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-, from Proto-Indo-European sek- — to cut, cut off, sever.

καρφί (Greek): nail; rivet; informer, snitch, grass , ratfink

Definitions

  1. nail; rivet; informer, snitch, grass , ratfink

Ancestry of “καρφί”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekκαρφίον—
2Ancient Greekκάρφοςarid stalk, dry twig, chip of wood
3Ancient Greekκάρφωto dry up, wither, shrivel
4Proto-Indo-European(s)krebʰ-to turn; bend; shrink
5Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
6Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

Words derived from “καρφί”

  • καρφίτσα
  • ξυλόκαρφο
  • καρφάκι
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →