Where does “city” come from?

city (Middle English) comes from Old French cité, from Latin cīvitās, from Proto-Italic keiwis, from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- — to be lying down; to settle.

Ancestry of “city”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchcitécity
2Latincīvitās—
3Proto-Italickeiwissociety; citizen
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- →Every word from Proto-Italic keiwis →Every word from Latin cīvitās →