Where does “centaurea” come from?
centaurea (Latin) comes from Latin centaurēum, from Ancient Greek κενταύρειον, from Ancient Greek Κένταυρος, from Ancient Greek ταῦρος, from Proto-Hellenic táuros, from Proto-Indo-European táwros — wild bull, aurochs.
Ancestry of “centaurea”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | centaurēum | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | κενταύρειον | centaury, "Centaurea salonitana", "Chlora... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | Κένταυρος | Centaur, a member of a savage race dwelling... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ταῦρος | bull, perhaps also ox |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | táuros | bull |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | táwros | wild bull, aurochs |