Where does “holocaust” come from?

holocaust (Romanian) comes from French holocauste, from Middle French holocauste, from Old French olocauste, from Latin holocaustum, from Ancient Greek ὁλόκαυστος, from Ancient Greek ὅλος, from Proto-Indo-European solh₂wós, from Proto-Indo-European sōlh₂- — mercy, comfort; comfort, mercy.

holocaust (Romanian): holocaust

Definitions

  1. holocaust

Ancestry of “holocaust”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchholocausteholocaust
2Middle Frenchholocauste—
3Old Frencholocauste—
4Latinholocaustuma burnt offering wholly consumed by fire;...
5Ancient Greekὁλόκαυστοςwholly burnt
6Ancient Greekὅλοςwhole, entire, perfect, complete; absolute,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeansolh₂wós—
8Proto-Indo-Europeansōlh₂-mercy, comfort; comfort, mercy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sōlh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European solh₂wós →Every word from Ancient Greek ὅλος →