Where does “sauf” come from?

sauf (Old French) comes from Latin salvus, from Proto-Italic *salawos, from Proto-Indo-European solh₂wós, from Proto-Indo-European sōlh₂- — mercy, comfort; comfort, mercy.

Ancestry of “sauf”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Latin	salvus	safe, saved, preserved, sound, unharmed,...
2	Proto-Italic	*salawos	—
3	Proto-Indo-European	solh₂wós	—
4	Proto-Indo-European	sōlh₂-	mercy, comfort; comfort, mercy

Words derived from “sauf”

safe
safely
safer
unsafe
salve
vouchsafe
safekeeping
safehouse
safeness
safelight
unsafely
safecracker
safecracking
vouchsafeth
safeword
threadsafe
ultrasafe
safener
unsafeness
vouchsafest
supersafe
vouchsafement
safebreaker
websafe

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sōlh₂- →

sauf — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer