Where does “oui” come from?

oui (Réunion Creole French) comes from French ouï, from Old French oïl, from Vulgar Latin oclus, from Latin oculus, from Proto-Italic okʷelos, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ókʷs, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ekʷ- — to see; eye.

oui (Réunion Creole French): yes

Definitions

  1. yes

Ancestry of “oui”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchouïpast participle of ouïr
2Old FrenchoïlAlternative form of oil; yes
3Vulgar Latinocluseye; Alternative form of oculus
4LatinoculusAn eye; the power of sight; a spot resembling an...
5Proto-Italicokʷeloseye
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ókʷseye
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ekʷ-to see; eye
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ekʷ- →
oui — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer