Where does “basilisk” come from?
basilisk (Middle English) comes from Old French basilique, from Latin basiliscus, from Ancient Greek βασιλίσκος, from Ancient Greek βασιλεύς, from Proto-Hellenic gʷatiléus — chief; king.
Ancestry of “basilisk”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | basilique | basilisk; basil |
| 2 | Latin | basiliscus | a basilisk or cockatrice |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | βασιλίσκος | princelet, chieftain; basilisk, kind of serpent;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | βασιλεύς | chief, master; king, lord, patron |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | gʷatiléus | chief; king |
Words derived from “basilisk”