Where does “zebra” come from?
zebra (Indonesian) comes from Dutch zebra, from Portuguese zebra, from Old Portuguese enzebro, from Old Portuguese cebrario, from Vulgar Latin eciferus, from Latin equiferus, from Latin equus, from Proto-Italic ekwos — swift.
zebra (Indonesian): zebra
Definitions
- zebra
Ancestry of “zebra”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | zebra | A zebra, a black-and-white striped equid of the... |
| 2 | Portuguese | zebra | zebra |
| 3 | Old Portuguese | enzebro | — |
| 4 | Old Portuguese | cebrario | — |
| 5 | Vulgar Latin | eciferus | fool, wild ass, donkey; wild horse |
| 6 | Latin | equiferus | wild horse |
| 7 | Latin | equus | a horse; a steed, charger |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | ekwos | horse |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁éḱwos | stallion, horse |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁oh₁ḱu- | swift |