Etymology Explorer › Portuguese

Where does “bumba-meu-boi” come from?

bumba-meu-boi (Portuguese) comes from Portuguese boi, from Old Portuguese boi, from Latin bovem, from Latin bos, from Ancient Greek βοῦς, from Latin corvus, from Proto-Italic korwos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱorh₂wós — army.

Ancestry of “bumba-meu-boi”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Portugueseboiox
2Old Portugueseboi—
3Latinbovemaccusative singular of bōs; cow, bull
4Latinbosa cow, bull, or ox; cattle
5Ancient Greekβοῦςcow, ox, cattle; shield: ὃτι ἐκ βοείων ἐστι...
6LatincorvusA raven; a bird associated with prophecy and...
7Proto-Italickorwos—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱorh₂wós—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
11Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army

Words derived from “bumba-meu-boi”

  • Boi
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker- →