Etymology Explorer › New Latin

Where does “varicella” come from?

varicella (New Latin) comes from Latin variola, from Latin varius, from Latin vārus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂wer-, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

Ancestry of “varicella”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinvariolaan infectious disease causing pustules; pox
2Latinvariusdiverse, different, various, variegated
3Latinvārus—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂wer-to lift up; to moisten; to flow; to raise, hang
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwēr-true
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “varicella”

  • varicella
  • varicelliform
  • varicelloid
  • varicellar
  • Varicellovirus
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →