Etymology Explorer › Middle French

Where does “carnation” come from?

carnation (Middle French) comes from Italian carnagione, from Italian carne, from Latin carnem, from Latin carō, from Proto-Italic karō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱer-, from Proto-Indo-European kr̥-, from Proto-Indo-European ker- — army.

carnation (Middle French): person's color or complexion

Definitions

  1. person's color or complexion

Ancestry of “carnation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italiancarnagionecomplexion
2Italiancarnemeat, flesh
3Latincarnemaccusative singular of carō
4Latincarō—
5Proto-Italickarōpiece, portion; meat
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
8Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army

Words derived from “carnation”

  • carnation
  • carnationed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker- →