Where does “что́” come from?

что́ (Russian) comes 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.

что́ (Russian): what

Definitions

  1. what

Ancestry of “что́”, step by step

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

Words derived from “что́”

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