Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “zele” come from?

zele (Middle English) comes from Old French zel, from Late Latin zelus, from Ancient Greek ζῆλος, from Ancient Greek ζηλόω, from Ancient Greek -όω, from Proto-Indo-European -oyéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti, from Proto-Indo-European yé- — he, she.

zele (Middle English): Zeal; endless devotion or striving; Intense love...

Definitions

  1. Zeal; endless devotion or striving; Intense love...

Ancestry of “zele”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchzel—
2Late Latinzelusjealousy; zeal, emulation
3Ancient Greekζῆλοςeager rivalry, zealous imitation, emulation, a...
4Ancient GreekζηλόωI emulate; I am jealous
5Ancient Greek-όωAdded to a noun or adjective to make a verb with...
6Proto-Indo-European-oyétiCreates factitive verbs from adjectives
7Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
9Chichewaiyehe, she

Words derived from “zele”

  • zeal
  • overzeal
  • zealless
  • zealed
  • zealful
  • zel
Every word from Chichewa iye →