Where does “slave” come from?

slave (Middle Dutch) comes from Late Latin Sclavus, from Byzantine Greek Σκλάβος, from Proto-Slavic slověninъ, from Proto-Slavic slovo, from Proto-Balto-Slavic ślawas, from Proto-Indo-European ḱléwos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱlew-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.

Ancestry of “slave”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Late LatinSclavusSlav; a Slav
2Byzantine GreekΣκλάβοςSlav
3Proto-SlavicslověninъSlav
4Proto-Slavicslovoword
5Proto-Balto-Slavicślawas—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱléwosfame
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱlew-to hear
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

Words derived from “slave”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- →