Where does “satnik” come from?

satnik (Serbo-Croatian) comes from Serbo-Croatian stȏ, 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.

satnik (Serbo-Croatian): captain

Definitions

  1. captain

Ancestry of “satnik”, step by step

satnik traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Serbo-Croatian stȏ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Serbo-Croatianstȏhundred
2Russianчто́what
3Old East Slavicчьтоwhat?
4Proto-Slavicčьtowhat
5Proto-Balto-Slavickiwhat
6Proto-Indo-Europeankʷídneuter nominative/accusative singular of *kʷís
7Proto-Indo-Europeankʷíswho, what; who, which, that; which, what
8Proto-Indo-Europeankʷi-interrogative base

via Czech šaty

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Czechšatydress; clothes, clothing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷi- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷís →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷíd →