Where does “サボテン” come from?
サボテン (Japanese) comes from Portuguese sabão, from Old Portuguese sabon, from Latin sāpōnem, from Latin sāpō, from Proto-Germanic saipǭ, from Proto-Indo-European seyb- — to pour, leak, trickle; to pour out, trickle,...
サボテン (Japanese): cactus
Definitions
- cactus
Ancestry of “サボテン”, step by step
サボテン traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Portuguese sabão
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portuguese | sabão | soap |
| 2 | Old Portuguese | sabon | — |
| 3 | Latin | sāpōnem | — |
| 4 | Latin | sāpō | An ancient hair product |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | saipǭ | soap |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | seyb- | to pour, leak, trickle; to pour out, trickle,... |
via Chinese 仙人掌
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chinese | 仙人掌 | cactus |