*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of ciao

Etymology tree substrateder.? Proto-Indo-European *ḱlewH-der.? Proto-Slavic *slov- Proto-Slavic *-ǫta Proto-Slavic *Slov-? Proto-Balto-Slavic *-ēnas Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Slavic *-in

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In this entry · 1 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Unnumbered source etymology

Original entry ↗
intj

Hello, hi. · Bye, goodbye.

noun

A greeting or farewell using the word "ciao".

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree substrateder.? Proto-Indo-European *ḱlewH-der.? Proto-Slavic *slov- Proto-Slavic *-ǫta Proto-Slavic *Slov-? Proto-Balto-Slavic *-ēnas Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Slavic *-inъ Proto-Slavic *-ěninъ Proto-Slavic *slověninъder. Ancient Greek Σκλαβηνός (Sklabēnós)der. Medieval Greek Σκλᾰ́βος (Sklắbos)bor. Late Latin Sclavus Medieval Latin sclavus Venetan s-ciao, sciavobor. Italian ciaobor. English ciao Borrowed from Italian ciao (“hello, goodbye”), from Venetan ciao (“hello, goodbye, your (humble) servant”), from Venetan s-ciao / s-ciavo (“servant, slave”), from Medieval Latin sclavus (“Slav, slave”), related also to Italian schiavo, English Slav, slave and Old Venetan S-ciavón (“Slav”), from Latin Sclavus, ultimately from Proto-Slavic *slověninъ. Not related to Vietnamese chào (“hello, goodbye”). Doublet of Slav and slave.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":bor",
        "3": "it:ciao",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nsubstrateder.?\nProto-Indo-European *ḱlewH-der.?\nProto-Slavic *slov-\nProto-Slavic *-ǫta\nProto-Slavic *Slov-?\nProto-Balto-Slavic *-ēnas\nProto-Indo-European *-nós\nProto-Indo-European *-iHnos\nProto-Slavic *-inъ\nProto-Slavic *-ěninъ\nProto-Slavic *slověninъder.\nAncient Greek Σκλαβηνός (Sklabēnós)der.\nMedieval Greek Σκλᾰ́βος (Sklắbos)bor.\nLate Latin Sclavus\nMedieval Latin sclavus\nVenetan s-ciao, sciavobor.\nItalian ciaobor.\nEnglish ciao\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"s-ciao, sciavo\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*Slov-\", \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"gloss\" : \"Dnieper\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*slov-\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Slavic\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"lang_name\" : \"substrate\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang\" : \"qfa-sub\" }, { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*ḱlewH-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang\" : \"sla-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Slavic\", \"term\" : \"*-ǫta\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"sla-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Slavic\", \"term\" : \"*Slovǫta\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"sla-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"noun-forming suffix\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Balto-Slavic\", \"term\" : \"*-ēnas\", \"lang\" : \"ine-bsl-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"suffix\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives of materials\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"verbal adjectives\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-nós\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-iHnos\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Slavic\", \"term\" : \"*-inъ\", \"lang\" : \"sla-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Slavic\", \"term\" : \"*-ěninъ\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"sla-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Slavic\", \"term\" : \"*slověninъ\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"sla-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"Σκλαβηνός\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Medieval Greek\", \"term\" : \"Σκλᾰ́βος\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gkm\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Late Latin\", \"term\" : \"Sclavus\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la-lat\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Medieval Latin\", \"term\" : \"sclavus\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la-med\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Venetan\", \"term\" : \"sciavo\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"vec\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Italian\", \"term\" : \"ciao\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"it\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"ciao\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"ciao\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "bor+",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "it",
        "3": "ciao",
        "4": "",
        "5": "hello, goodbye"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Italian ciao (“hello, goodbye”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "vec",
        "3": "ciao",
        "4": "",
        "5": "hello, goodbye, your (humble) servant"
      },
      "expansion": "Venetan ciao (“hello, goodbye, your (humble) servant”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "vec",
        "2": "s-ciao"
      },
      "expansion": "Venetan s-ciao"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la-med",
        "3": "sclavus",
        "4": "",
        "5": "Slav, slave"
      },
      "expansion": "Medieval Latin sclavus (“Slav, slave”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "it",
        "2": "schiavo"
      },
      "expansion": "Italian schiavo"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Slav"
      },
      "expansion": "English Slav"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "slave",
        "notext": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "slave"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "vec-old",
        "2": "S-ciavón",
        "t": "Slav"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Venetan S-ciavón (“Slav”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "Sclavus"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin Sclavus"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sla-pro",
        "3": "*slověninъ"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Slavic *slověninъ"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "vi",
        "2": "chào",
        "3": "",
        "4": "hello, goodbye"
      },
      "expansion": "Vietnamese chào (“hello, goodbye”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Slav",
        "3": "slave"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of Slav and slave"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":bor",
        "3": "it:ciao",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nsubstrateder.?\nProto-Indo-European *ḱlewH-der.?\nProto-Slavic *slov-\nProto-Slavic *-ǫta\nProto-Slavic *Slov-?\nProto-Balto-Slavic *-ēnas\nProto-Indo-European *-nós\nProto-Indo-European *-iHnos\nProto-Slavic *-inъ\nProto-Slavic *-ěninъ\nProto-Slavic *slověninъder.\nAncient Greek Σκλαβηνός (Sklabēnós)der.\nMedieval Greek Σκλᾰ́βος (Sklắbos)bor.\nLate Latin Sclavus\nMedieval Latin sclavus\nVenetan s-ciao, sciavobor.\nItalian ciaobor.\nEnglish ciao"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*ḱlewH-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/ḱlewH-"
    ],
    [
      "*-ǫta",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/-ǫta"
    ],
    [
      "*Slov-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/Slovǫta"
    ],
    [
      "*-ēnas",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Balto-Slavic/-ēnas#Proto-Balto-Slavic:_noun-forming_suffix"
    ],
    [
      "*-nós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-nós#Proto-Indo-European:_verbal_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "*-iHnos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-iHnos#Proto-Indo-European:_adjectives_of_materials"
    ],
    [
      "*-inъ",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/-inъ#Proto-Slavic:_suffix"
    ],
    [
      "*-ěninъ",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/-ěninъ"
    ],
    [
      "*slověninъ",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/slověninъ"
    ],
    [
      "Σκλαβηνός",
      "Σκλαβηνός#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "Σκλᾰ́βος",
      "Σκλάβος#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "Sclavus",
      "Sclavus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "sclavus",
      "sclavus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "s-ciao, sciavo",
      "sciavo#Venetan"
    ],
    [
      "ciao",
      "ciao#Italian"
    ],
    [
      "ciao",
      "ciao#Italian"
    ],
    [
      "ciao",
      "ciao#Venetan"
    ],
    [
      "s-ciao",
      "s-ciao#Venetan"
    ],
    [
      "s-ciavo",
      "s-ciavo#Venetan"
    ],
    [
      "sclavus",
      "sclavus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "schiavo",
      "schiavo#Italian"
    ],
    [
      "Slav",
      "Slav#English"
    ],
    [
      "slave",
      "slave#English"
    ],
    [
      "S-ciavón",
      "S-ciavón#Venetan"
    ],
    [
      "Sclavus",
      "Sclavus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "*slověninъ",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/slověninъ"
    ],
    [
      "Not related to",
      "false cognate"
    ],
    [
      "chào",
      "chào#Vietnamese"
    ],
    [
      "Slav",
      "Slav#English"
    ],
    [
      "slave",
      "slave#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "intj",
      "glosses": [
        "Hello, hi.",
        "Bye, goodbye."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "a106c5c654b788fce14aee444e77181b28f758e48e5f5e5ec7edfe5ccbb9e3c1",
      "rawRecordSha256": "784260c41b81a148fc5f525d2f68797b2685a2f7309056fda0e1c67c58596d18",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 184044
    },
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A greeting or farewell using the word \"ciao\"."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "ff65f3dd2466af1c0bd396daead1e3b9f411a0953860deaf7de3aa8c3218c4cc",
      "rawRecordSha256": "7b2ac35514832eafc2ea771027651f3fa9912c6e1308c6b45426a065951dd1cf",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 184045
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for ciao →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-Y2lhbw