Etymograph

English

decor

Decor comes from French décor ‘decor, decoration’, from Latin decor ‘elegance, grace’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- ‘to take’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deḱ-1‘to take’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dḱeh₁yéti1reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dekējeti1reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dekēt1‘to fit, to be right’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecet1‘to adorn’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecor1‘elegance, grace’
  7. Frenchc. 1600–presentdécor1‘decor, decoration’
  8. Englishtodaydecor1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English decor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deḱ-Wiktionary, English decor‘to take’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dḱeh₁yétiWiktionary, English decorreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dekējetiWiktionary, English decorreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dekētWiktionary, English decor‘to fit, to be right’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecetWiktionary, English decor‘to adorn’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecorWiktionary, English decor‘elegance, grace’
  7. Frenchc. 1600–presentdécorWiktionary, English decor‘decor, decoration’
  8. EnglishtodaydecorWiktionary, English decor

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- ‘to take’

doctor, document, tail, dignity, doctrine, paradox, disdain, dogma, indignation, dainty, fonda, docile, doctrinal, dodo, indignant, dox, dignitary, docent, digne, deign, 55 more

through Latin decet ‘to adorn’

decent

Today it means

noun The style of decoration of a room or building.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “decor”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- / decor

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