Where does “champion” come from?
champion (Old French) comes from Latin campionem, from Frankish kampijō, from Proto-Germanic kampijô, from Latin campus, from Proto-Indo-European kh₂emp-, from Proto-Indo-European kh₂em- — to bend, to curve.
Ancestry of “champion”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | campionem | accusative singular of campiō; champion, fighter |
| 2 | Frankish | kampijō | fighter; combat soldier |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | kampijô | — |
| 4 | Latin | campus | Open flat level ground: a plain, a natural field;... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kh₂emp- | to bend; crooked; to bend, curve |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kh₂em- | to bend, to curve |