Where does “taxi” come from?
taxi (Hungarian) comes from German Taxi, from French taxi, from German Taxameter, from Medieval Latin taxa, from Latin taxāre, from Latin Taxus, from Ancient Greek εἶδος, from Spanish -scopio — to see, to look, to observe.
taxi (Hungarian): taxi a vehicle that may be hired for single journeys by members of the public, driven by a taxi driver
Definitions
- taxi a vehicle that may be hired for single journeys by members of the public, driven by a taxi driver
Ancestry of “taxi”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Taxi | taxi, cab |
| 2 | French | taxi | taxi; taxi driver; helicopter or plane used for... |
| 3 | German | Taxameter | taximeter |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | taxa | charge, assessment, tax; tax, charge;... |
| 5 | Latin | taxāre | — |
| 6 | Latin | Taxus | yew |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | εἶδος | That which is seen: form, image, shape;... |
| 8 | Spanish | -scopio | -scope |
| 9 | Latin | -scopium | — |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | σκοπέω | I look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413... |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | σκοπός | watcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout |
| 12 | Ancient Greek | σκέπτομαι | I look at, examine; I examine, consider, think |
| 13 | Proto-Hellenic | sképťomai | to look at |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | spéḱyeti | to be looking at, to keep looking at |
| 15 | Proto-Indo-European | speḱ- | to see, to look, to observe |