Etymology Explorer › Italian

Where does “carnefice” come from?

carnefice (Italian) comes from Latin carnifex, from Latin carō, from Proto-Italic karō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱer-, from Proto-Indo-European kr̥-, from Proto-Indo-European ker- — army.

carnefice (Italian): executioner; torturer, tormentor, persecutor;...

Definitions

  1. executioner; torturer, tormentor, persecutor;...

Ancestry of “carnefice”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincarnifexbutcher, knacker; executioner, hangman;...
2Latincarō—
3Proto-Italickarōpiece, portion; meat
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
5Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
6Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker- →