Where does “кључ” come from?
кључ (Serbo-Croatian) comes from Proto-Slavic kľučь, from Proto-Balto-Slavic kljaukjas, from Proto-Indo-European klewk-yo-s, from Proto-Indo-European kle(h₂)uk-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kleh₂w-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- — to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...
кључ (Serbo-Croatian): key; spanner, wrench
Ancestry of “кључ”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Slavic | kľučь | key |
| 2 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | kljaukjas | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | klewk-yo-s | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | kle(h₂)uk- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kleh₂w- | a hook, crook, peg |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kel- | to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,... |