Etymology Explorer › Old French

Where does “cave” come from?

cave (Old French) comes from Latin cava, from Latin cavus, from Proto-Italic kawos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱowh₁ós, from Proto-Indo-European ḱewh₁- — to swell; to be strong.

Ancestry of “cave”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincavanominative feminine singular of cavus; nominative...
2Latincavushollow, concave; excavated, channeled;...
3Proto-Italickawos—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱowh₁óshollow
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱewh₁-to swell; to be strong

Words derived from “cave”

  • cave
  • caving
  • caveman
  • cavelike
  • caver
  • cavewoman
  • cavefish
  • cavemouth
  • cavegirl
  • caveperson
  • cavemanlike
  • caveless
  • encave
  • caveboy
  • incaved
  • intercave
  • man cave
  • incave
  • cavemate
  • kavo
  • kaveto
  • malkava
  • kava
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱewh₁- →