English
savior
Savior comes from Late Latin salvō ‘to save’, from Latin salvus ‘safe, saved, preserved, sound, unharmed,…’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *solh₂- ‘whole’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*solh₂-‘whole’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*salawos‘whole’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsalvus‘safe, saved, preserved, sound, unharmed, unscathed, unhurt, uninjured’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEsalvō‘to save’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEsalvātor
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sauveour
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500saveour
- Englishtodaysavior
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*solh₂-‘whole’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*salawos‘whole’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsalvus‘safe, saved, preserved, sound, unharmed, unscathed, unhurt, uninjured’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEsalvō‘to save’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEsalvātor
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sauveour
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500saveour
- Englishtodaysavior
first attested First attested in 1300 as Middle English saveour, from Old French sauveour, from Late Latin salvātor, from salvō (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in 1300 as Middle English saveour, from Old French sauveour, from Late Latin salvātor, from salvō.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *solh₂- ‘whole’
sold, solid, holocaust, sol, salute, xu, sou, salutary, salutation, salubrious, 29 more
through Proto-Italic *salawos ‘whole’
through Latin salvus ‘safe, saved, preserved, sound, unharmed,…’
safe, sage, salvage, salvia, 8 more
through Late Latin salvō ‘to save’
Today it means
noun A person who saves someone, rescues another from harm.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *solh₂- / savior