Etymology Explorer › Spanish

Where does “gato” come from?

gato (Spanish) comes from French gâteau, from Middle French gasteau, from Old French gastel, from Frankish wastil, from Proto-Germanic wastilaz, from Proto-Indo-European wes- — to dress, clothe.

gato (Spanish): cat; tomcat, gib; servant

Definitions

  1. cat; tomcat, gib; servant

Ancestry of “gato”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1FrenchgâteauA sponge cake, i.e. a cake made with a chemical...
2Middle Frenchgasteau—
3Old Frenchgastelround cake, loaf of bread, wastel; roundel,...
4Frankishwastil—
5Proto-Germanicwastilaz—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwes-to dress, clothe

Words derived from “gato”

  • gatazo
  • gatillazo
  • engatusar
  • engatar
  • gatear
  • gatillo
  • agateador
  • gatito
  • engatusador
  • pelagatos
  • gatilho
  • gatilyo
  • kattu
  • gaatu
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wes- →