chariot (English)
Where does "chariot" come from?
The word 'chariot' originates from the ancient Proto-Indo-European root *ḱers-, meaning 'to run,' which gave rise to the Proto-Celtic term for a wagon. This concept traveled through Latin as 'carrus' and eventually into Old French before entering Middle English. Over time, the term evolved from describing a functional cart to representing the swift, iconic war vehicle we recognize today.
Full etymology tree
- chariot (English), 'A two-wheeled horse-drawn cart, used in Bronze Age and Early Iron Age warfare.'
- inherited chariot (Middle English)
- borrowed chariot (Old French)
- derived char (Old French), 'flesh (tissue from an animal in general)'
- inherited carrus (Latin), 'a wagon, a two-wheeled baggage cart'
- borrowed *karros (Gaulish), 'wagon'
- inherited *karros (Proto-Celtic), 'wagon'
- derived *ḱers- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to run'
- inherited *karros (Proto-Celtic), 'wagon'
- borrowed *karros (Gaulish), 'wagon'
- inherited carrus (Latin), 'a wagon, a two-wheeled baggage cart'
- derived char (Old French), 'flesh (tissue from an animal in general)'
- borrowed chariot (Old French)
- inherited chariot (Middle English)
Direct ancestors
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris