Where does “cite” come from?
cite (Middle English) comes from Old French citet, from Latin cīvitās, from Proto-Italic keiwis, from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- — to be lying down; to settle.
cite (Middle English): city
Ancestry of “cite”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | citet | Alternative form of cité |
| 2 | Latin | cīvitās | — |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | keiwis | society; citizen |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱey- | to be lying down; to settle |
Words derived from “cite”