Etymology Explorer › Vietnamese

Where does “kem” come from?

kem (Vietnamese) comes from French chou à la crème, from French crème, from Middle French chresme, from Old French cresme, from Late Latin crama, from Late Latin chrisma, from Ancient Greek χρῖσμα, from Ancient Greek χρίω — to rub; to stroke; to grind.

kem (Vietnamese): less; lesser; bad; preceding

Definitions

  1. less; lesser; bad; preceding

Ancestry of “kem”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchchou à la crème—
2Frenchcrèmecream; cool; café crème
3Middle Frenchchresme—
4Old Frenchcresmecream
5Late Latincramaskim; nominative plural of crāmum; accusative...
6Late Latinchrismaointment
7Ancient Greekχρῖσμαanointing, unction; wall coating, plaster
8Ancient Greekχρίωto smear with , rub on something; to anoint with...
9Proto-Indo-Europeangʰrēy-to smear; to paint, streak, smear
10Proto-Indo-Europeangʰer-to rub; to stroke; to grind
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰer- →