Where does “machete” come from?
machete (Portuguese) comes from Spanish machete, from Spanish macho, from Old Spanish maslo, from Vulgar Latin masclus, from Latin masculus, from Latin mās, from Proto-Nuristani *māsa, from Proto-Indo-Iranian mā́Has — to measure.
machete (Portuguese): machete
Ancestry of “machete”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Spanish | machete | machete; mediocre method for obtaining somewhat... |
| 2 | Spanish | macho | male; strong, brave; sledgehammer |
| 3 | Old Spanish | maslo | — |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | masclus | Alternative form of masculus; male |
| 5 | Latin | masculus | male, masculine; man, male |
| 6 | Latin | mās | — |
| 7 | Proto-Nuristani | *māsa | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | mā́Has | moon; month |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | mḗh₁n̥s | moon; month |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | meh₁- | to measure |