Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “si” come from?

si (Middle English) comes from Italian sì, from Italian bene, from Latin bene, from Latin bonus, from Old Latin duenos, from Proto-Italic dwenos, from Proto-Indo-European dew- — to show favour, revere; to fail, to lag, to be...

Ancestry of “si”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italiansìyes; so
2Italianbeneupper-class, posh, high; well, nicely, OK, right;...
3Latinbenewell; properly, exactly; agreeably, favorably
4Latinbonusgood, honest, brave, noble, kind, pleasant;...
5Old LatinduenosAlternative form of duonus
6Proto-Italicdwenosgood
7Proto-Indo-Europeandew-to show favour, revere; to fail, to lag, to be...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dew- →