Where does “si vis” come from?
si vis (Latin) comes from Latin vīs, from Proto-Italic wīs, from Proto-Indo-European wéyh₁s, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.
Ancestry of “si vis”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | vīs | — |
| 2 | Proto-Italic | wīs | strength, force, power |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | wéyh₁s | force, vehemence |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | weyh₁- | to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute |