Where does “великосветский” come from?

великосветский (Russian) comes from Russian свет, from Old East Slavic свѣтъ, from Proto-Slavic světъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic śwaitas, from Proto-Indo-European ḱweyt- — to shine.

великосветский (Russian): upper class; aristocracy

Definitions

  1. upper class; aristocracy

Ancestry of “великосветский”, step by step

великосветский traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Russian свет

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianсветlight; day; radiance
2Old East Slavicсвѣтъworld; society
3Proto-Slavicsvětъlight; world
4Proto-Balto-Slavicśwaitas
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱweyt-to shine

via Russian [[великий

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russian[[великий

via Russian вели́к(ий)]]

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianвели́к(ий)]]
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱweyt-Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic śwaitasEvery word from Proto-Slavic světъ