Where does “Lao” come from?
Lao (Italian) comes from Latin Laus, from Ancient Greek Λαός, from Proto-Hellenic lāwós, from Proto-Indo-European leh₂wos, from Proto-Indo-European leh₂- — to bark, howl; to be concealed.
Ancestry of “Lao”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | Laus | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | Λαός | — |
| 3 | Proto-Hellenic | lāwós | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | leh₂wos | people |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | leh₂- | to bark, howl; to be concealed |