Etymology Explorer › Venetian

Where does “ciao” come from?

ciao (Venetian) comes from Venetian s-ciao, from Medieval Latin sclavus, from Ancient Greek Σκλάβος, from Ancient Greek Σκλαβηνός, from Proto-Slavic slověninъ, from Proto-Slavic slovo, from Proto-Balto-Slavic ślawas, from Proto-Indo-European ḱléwos — to cover; to incline.

ciao (Venetian): hello, goodbye, your servant; hullo, goodbye;...

Definitions

  1. hello, goodbye, your servant; hullo, goodbye;...

Ancestry of “ciao”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Venetians-ciaoservant, slave; slave
2Medieval LatinsclavusSlav, slave; slave
3Ancient GreekΣκλάβοςSlav
4Ancient GreekΣκλαβηνός—
5Proto-SlavicslověninъSlav
6Proto-Slavicslovoword
7Proto-Balto-Slavicślawas—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱléwosfame
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱlew-to hear
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

Words derived from “ciao”

  • ciao
  • chao
  • chau
  • ciao
  • чао
  • ciao
  • chau
  • tchau
  • tjo
  • ћао
  • ćao
  • čau
  • chau
  • чао
  • čau
  • čao
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- →