English
Volvo
Volvo comes from Latin volvō ‘to roll’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *welH- ‘to turn, wind, round’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*welH-‘to turn, wind, round’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wolwōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvolvō‘to roll’
- SwedishmodernVolvo
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*welH-‘to turn, wind, round’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wolwōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvolvō‘to roll’
- SwedishmodernVolvo
- Englishtodaysame form
The story
From Swedish Volvo, from Latin volvō (‘to roll’), in reference to ball bearings which were the company's original product.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *welH- ‘to turn, wind, round’
well, walk, wall, valve, vulgar, waltz, helix, divulge, vagrant, wale, gauche, vulgate, iliac, ilium, valise, valvular, 72 more
through Proto-Italic *wolwō
devolution, revolve, devolve, convolutional, 40 more
through Latin volvō ‘to roll’
revolution, volume, evolution, vault, involve, revolt, evolve, convoluted, voluminous, vulva, convolution, involution, voluble, 44 more
Today it means
name The Volvo Car Corporation, a Swedish manufacturer of cars, now owned by the Chinese holding company Geely.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *welH- / Volvo