Etymology Explorer › Serbo-Croatian

Where does “Portugal” come from?

Portugal (Serbo-Croatian) comes from Portuguese Portugal, from Middle English Portyngale, from Middle French Portingal, from Latin Portucale, from Latin Portus Cale, from Latin Portus, from Proto-Italic portus, from Proto-Indo-European pértus — passed , crossed.

Ancestry of “Portugal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1PortuguesePortugal—
2Middle EnglishPortyngale—
3Middle FrenchPortingal—
4LatinPortucalePortugal
5LatinPortus CaleOporto
6LatinPortus—
7Proto-Italicportusharbour
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpértuscrossing
9Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →