Where does “orfan” come from?
orfan (Romanian) comes from Greek ορφανός, from Ancient Greek ὀρφανός, from Proto-Indo-European h₃órbʰos, from Proto-Indo-European h₃erbʰ- — to change allegiance, status, ownership;...
orfan (Romanian): orphan, orphaned; deficient, destitute, deprived;...
Definitions
- orphan, orphaned; deficient, destitute, deprived;...
Ancestry of “orfan”, step by step
orfan traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Greek ορφανός
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greek | ορφανός | orphaned; orphan |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ὀρφανός | left orphan, without parents; childless;... |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃órbʰos | orphan; servant, slave, worker |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃erbʰ- | to change allegiance, status, ownership;... |
via Latin orphănus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | orphănus | orphan |