Etymograph

English

sozialism

Sozialism comes from German Sozialismus ‘socialism’, from Latin sociālis ‘of or pertaining to companionship’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-1‘to follow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sokʷéh₂1reconstructed
  3. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sokʷh₂ṓy1‘follower in one's retinue’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sokʷyós1reconstructed
  5. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sokjos1‘companion’reconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsokios1
  7. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsocius1‘associated, allied’
  8. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsociālis2‘of or pertaining to companionship’by way of French social
  9. Germanc. 1650–presentsozial3‘social’
  10. Germanc. 1650–presentSozialismus4‘socialism’
  11. Englishearliest quotation 1994sozialism4

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin socialis
  2. 2 Wiktionary, German sozial
  3. 3 Wiktionary, German Sozialismus
  4. 4 Wiktionary, English sozialism
  5. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1994, biznet, REPUBLICAN HOUSE AND SENATE: “>The US is almost unique in the west in…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-Wiktionary, Latin socialis‘to follow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sokʷéh₂Wiktionary, Latin socialisreconstructed
  3. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sokʷh₂ṓyWiktionary, Latin socialis‘follower in one's retinue’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sokʷyósWiktionary, Latin socialisreconstructed
  5. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sokjosWiktionary, Latin socialis‘companion’reconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsokiosWiktionary, Latin socialis
  7. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsociusWiktionary, Latin socialis‘associated, allied’
  8. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsociālisWiktionary, German sozial‘of or pertaining to companionship’by way of French social
  9. Germanc. 1650–presentsozialWiktionary, German Sozialismus‘social’
  10. Germanc. 1650–presentSozialismusWiktionary, English sozialism‘socialism’
  11. Englishearliest quotation 1994sozialismWiktionary, English sozialism. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1994, biznet, REPUBLICAN HOUSE AND SENATE: “>The US is almost unique in the west in…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’

see, say, second, saw, executive, suit, sight, subsequent, sequence, pursue, sue, consecutive, prosecution, sequel, execute, consequently, saga, persecution, sect, intrinsic, consequent, sequential, executor, sequestration, ensue, persecute, extrinsic, segue, sequester, seg, sequitur, 32 more

through Latin socius ‘associated, allied’

society, associate, sociology, socialist, socialism, dissociation, dissociate, sociality, 6 more

through Latin sociālis ‘of or pertaining to companionship’

social, 4 more

Today it means

noun —

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “sozialism”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Latin socialis, German sozial, German Sozialismus. 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 *sekʷ- / sozialism

Shirt and support for this word