Where does “сивъ” come from?
сивъ (Old East Slavic) comes from Proto-Slavic sivъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic śī́ˀwas, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱih₃-wó-s, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱeh₃- — darkness, shadow.
Ancestry of “сивъ”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proto-Slavic | sivъ | grey; hoary, grey-haired, aging |
| 2 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | śī́ˀwas | grey |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ḱih₃-wó-s | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ḱeh₃- | darkness, shadow |