Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “sclave” come from?

sclave (Middle English) comes from French esclave, from Medieval Latin sclavus, from Ancient Greek Σκλάβος, from Ancient Greek Σκλαβηνός, from Proto-Slavic slověninъ, from Proto-Slavic slovo, from Proto-Balto-Slavic ślawas, from Proto-Indo-European ḱléwos — to cover; to incline.

Ancestry of “sclave”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchesclaveslave
2Medieval LatinsclavusSlav, slave; slave
3Ancient GreekΣκλάβοςSlav
4Ancient GreekΣκλαβηνός—
5Proto-SlavicslověninъSlav
6Proto-Slavicslovoword
7Proto-Balto-Slavicślawas—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱléwosfame
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱlew-to hear
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

Words derived from “sclave”

  • Slavic
  • Slavs
  • Slav
  • Slavism
  • Slavia
  • Slavdom
  • Panslavic
  • Balto-Slavic
  • Balto-Slavicist
  • Interslavic
  • Pan-Slavic
  • Sclavism
  • Balto-Slav
  • Proto-Slavic
  • Pan-Slavism
  • 슬라브
  • สลาฟ
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- →