Where does “clāvis” come from?

clāvis (Latin) comes from Ancient Greek κλείς, from Proto-Hellenic klāwī́ds, from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂u- — nail, pin, hook - instruments, of old use for...

clāvis (Latin): a key

Definitions

  1. a key

Ancestry of “clāvis”, step by step

clāvis traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Ancient Greek κλείς

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient GreekκλείςSomething used to lock/unlock: key, bolt, bar; A...
2Proto-Hellenicklāwī́ds
3Proto-Indo-Europeankleh₂u-nail, pin, hook - instruments, of old use for...

via Proto-Italic klāwis

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Italicklāwisbolt, lock, bar
2Proto-Indo-European(s)kleh₂w-a hook, crook, peg
3Proto-Indo-European(s)kel-to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...

Words derived from “clāvis

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂u-Every word from Proto-Hellenic klāwī́dsEvery word from Ancient Greek κλείς