Where does “city” come from?

city (Italian) comes from English city, from Middle English cite, from Old French citet, from Latin cīvitās, from Proto-Italic keiwis, from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- — to be lying down; to settle.

city (Italian): city (financial district of a city)

Definitions

  1. city (financial district of a city)

Ancestry of “city”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcityA large settlement, bigger than a town; sometimes...
2Middle Englishcitecity
3Old FrenchcitetAlternative form of cité
4Latincīvitās—
5Proto-Italickeiwissociety; citizen
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- →Every word from Proto-Italic keiwis →Every word from Latin cīvitās →
city — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer