Where does “городовой” come from?

городовой (Russian) comes from Russian го́род, from Old East Slavic городъ, from Proto-Slavic gȏrdъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic gardas, from Proto-Indo-European gʰerdʰ- — to enclose, to encircle; enclosure, fence, belt.

городовой (Russian): city policeman

Definitions

  1. city policeman

Ancestry of “городовой”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianго́родcity, town; town, city
2Old East Slavicгородъfortification, castle
3Proto-Slavicgȏrdъfortified settlement
4Proto-Balto-Slavicgardasenclosure
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʰerdʰ-to enclose, to encircle; enclosure, fence, belt
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰerdʰ- →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic gardas →Every word from Proto-Slavic gȏrdъ →