Where does “xanh biếc” come from?

xanh biếc (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese xanh, from French saint, from Latin sānctus, from Latin Iacobus, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος, from Ancient Greek Ἰακώβ, from Hebrew יַעֲקֹב, from Hebrew עָקֵב — heel of the foot; heel.

xanh biếc (Vietnamese): brilliant deep blue

Definitions

  1. brilliant deep blue

Ancestry of “xanh biếc”, step by step

xanh biếc traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Vietnamese xanh

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesexanhgrue; green; wok
2Frenchsaintsaint; saintly
3Latinsānctussacred, made inviolable, having been established as sacred
4LatinIacobusJacob; James; Saint James
5Ancient GreekἸάκωβος
6Ancient GreekἸακώβJacob
7HebrewיַעֲקֹבJacob
8Hebrewעָקֵבheel of the foot; heel

via Polish biec

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Polishbiecto run
2Proto-SlavicběťiAlternative form of *běgati; to run, flee; to...
3Proto-Balto-Slavicbḗˀgteito flee, run
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰégʷeti
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰegʷ-to flee; to run
Every word from Hebrew עָקֵבEvery word from Hebrew יַעֲקֹבEvery word from Ancient Greek Ἰακώβ