Where does “auto” come from?
auto (Latvian) comes from Latvian automašīna, from Latvian mašīna, from Russian маши́на, from German Maschine, from French machine, from Middle French machine, from Latin māchina, from Ancient Greek μαχανά — to be able.
auto (Latvian): car; vocative singular masculine form of autais;...
Definitions
- car; vocative singular masculine form of autais;...
Ancestry of “auto”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latvian | automašīna | car; motor vehicle; automobile |
| 2 | Latvian | mašīna | machine, machinery, mechanism; car, automobile |
| 3 | Russian | маши́на | motor vehicle, machine; machine |
| 4 | German | Maschine | machine; engine; airplane |
| 5 | French | machine | machine, device; machine |
| 6 | Middle French | machine | machine; device |
| 7 | Latin | māchina | contrivance |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | μαχανά | Doric form of μηχᾰνή |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | μηχανή | contrivance, machine, device, gear; way, means |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | μῆχος | means, expedient, remedy |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | meǵʰ- | to be able |