English words from Proto-Indo-European
16 English words with Proto-Indo-European in their history, whether borrowed directly or passed on through other languages.
alibi
It is borrowed from Latin alibī (“elsewhere”), a locative form of Latin alius (“other”), from Proto-Indo-European *al- (“beyond”). Wiktionary suggests the use followed French alibi.
budget
From Middle English bouget (“wallet”), borrowed from Old French bougette, diminutive of bouge “leather bag”, from Latin bulga (“leather bag”), a word of Gaulish origin, ultimately from…
candidate
First recorded c. 1600, borrowed from Latin candidātus (“clothed in white; candidate for office”), from Latin candidus (“white”). The name alludes to the white toga worn by candidates for office in…
clue
A later spelling of clew “ball of thread or yarn”, inherited from Middle English clewe, inherited from Old English clēowen (“ball, sphere; skein”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *glew- (“to…
cynic
It is borrowed from Latin cynicus (perhaps partly via Middle French cynique), from Ancient Greek κυνικός (kunikós, “dog-like, currish”), from Ancient Greek κύων (kúōn, “dog”), from…
decimate
It is borrowed from Latin decimātus, past participle of Latin decimāre (“to punish every tenth man chosen by lot; to tithe”), from Latin decimus (“tenth”), from Latin decem (“ten”), from…
delirium
It is borrowed from Latin dēlīrium (“madness”), from Latin dēlīrāre (“to be deranged, crazy”), literally “to leave the furrow” in ploughing, from dē- “off, away” + līra “furrow”, from…
disaster
It is borrowed from Middle French desastre, from Italian disastro (“ill-starred”), from pejorative dis- + astro “star”, from Latin astrum (“star”), from Ancient Greek ἄστρον (ástron, “star”)…
egregious
First recorded c. 1534, borrowed from Latin ēgregius (“distinguished, excellent, extraordinary”), from the phrase ex grege “rising above the flock”, from ē- “out of” + grex “herd, flock”, from…
gymnasium
First recorded in 1598, borrowed from Latin gymnasium (“exercise ground, school”), from Ancient Greek γυμνάσιον (gumnásion), from Ancient Greek γυμνάζω (gumnázō, “to train naked”), from Ancient…
nausea
It is borrowed from Latin nausea (“seasickness”), from Ancient Greek ναυσία (nausía, “seasickness”), literally “ship-sickness”, from naûs “ship”, from Proto-Indo-European *nau- (“boat”).
nemesis
It is borrowed from Ancient Greek νέμεσις (némesis, “righteous indignation; retribution”), literally “distribution” (of what is due), from némein “to distribute, give what is due”, from…
nostalgia
Recorded in English in 1726, borrowed from New Latin nostalgia, coined in 1688 by Johannes Hofer in a dissertation at the University of Basel as a rendering of German Heimweh (“homesickness”). It is…
rival
It is borrowed from Latin rīvālis (“rival in love; neighbour”), originally “one using the same stream as another”, from Latin rīvus (“stream, brook”), from Proto-Indo-European *rei- (“to run…
salary
From Middle English salarie, borrowed from Anglo-Norman salarie, compare Old French salaire, from Latin salārium (“pension, salary”), a noun use of the neuter of Latin salārius (“pertaining to…
terrific
First recorded in 1667, in Milton, borrowed from Latin terrificus (“causing terror, frightful”), from terrēre “to frighten” + -ficus “making”, from facere “to make”, from Proto-Indo-European *dhe-…