Where does “publik” come from?
publik (Middle English) comes from Middle French public, from Latin pūblicus, from Old Latin poplicus, from Latin pōpulus, from Proto-Italic poplos — army.
Ancestry of “publik”, step by step
publik traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle French public
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | public | — |
| 2 | Latin | pūblicus | of or belonging to the people, state, or community |
| 3 | Old Latin | poplicus | Alternative form of publicus |
| 4 | Latin | pōpulus | a people, nation |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | poplos | army |
via Old French public
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | public | public (not private; available to the general populace) |