Where does “valet” come from?
valet (Spanish) comes from French valet, from Old French vaslet, from Medieval Latin vassellittus, from Latin vassallus, from Latin vassus, from Gaulish wassos, from Proto-Celtic wāstos, from Proto-Indo-European h₁weh₂- — to leave, abandon, give out.
valet (Spanish): jack, knave
Ancestry of “valet”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | valet | a male attendant of a knight or a lord; officer... |
| 2 | Old French | vaslet | manservant; young gentleman |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | vassellittus | — |
| 4 | Latin | vassallus | vassal; servant |
| 5 | Latin | vassus | vassal of vassals; servant |
| 6 | Gaulish | wassos | young man, squire |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | wāstos | empty |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁weh₂- | to leave, abandon, give out |