Where does “client” come from?
client (Middle English) comes from Anglo-Norman clyent, from Old French client, from Latin cliēns, from Latin clueo, from Proto-Italic kluēō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱlew-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.
Ancestry of “client”, step by step
client traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Anglo-Norman clyent
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anglo-Norman | clyent | — |
| 2 | Old French | client | — |
| 3 | Latin | cliēns | customer |
| 4 | Latin | clueo | I am called or named; I am reputed |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | kluēō | to be known |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱlew- | to hear |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |
via Anglo-Norman French clyent
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anglo-Norman French | clyent | — |