safe

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*solh₂-“whole, every”
2. Proto-Italic · derived from*salawos
3. Latin · derived fromsalvus“whole, safe”
4. Old French · derived fromsauf
5. Middle English · inherited fromsauf
6. English todaysafe

From Middle English sauf, safe, saf, saaf, from Old French sauf, saulf, salf (“safe”), from Latin salvus (“whole, safe”), from Proto-Italic *salawos, from Proto-Indo-European *solh₂- (“whole, every”). Displaced Old English sicor (“secure, sure”).

Words from the same roots