Where does “почему́” come from?

почему́ (Russian) comes from Russian что́, from Old East Slavic чьто, from Proto-Slavic čьto, from Proto-Balto-Slavic ki, from Proto-Indo-European kʷíd, from Proto-Indo-European kʷís, from Proto-Indo-European kʷi- — interrogative base.

почему́ (Russian): why

Definitions

  1. why

Ancestry of “почему́”, step by step

почему́ traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Russian что́

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianчто́what
2Old East Slavicчьтоwhat?
3Proto-Slavicčьtowhat
4Proto-Balto-Slavickiwhat
5Proto-Indo-Europeankʷídneuter nominative/accusative singular of *kʷís
6Proto-Indo-Europeankʷíswho, what; who, which, that; which, what
7Proto-Indo-Europeankʷi-interrogative base

via Russian ПО

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1RussianПОsoftware
2Old East Slavicпоon, along, by
3Proto-Slavicpoafter; by; at
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂póoff, away
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂epofrom, off, back; off, away; off, from

Words derived from “почему́”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷi- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷís →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷíd →