Safe
/seɪf/noun
Protected from harm, danger, or risk.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin *sānus*, meaning “healthy” or “sound,” so safety began as a state of being unbroken, not just out of danger.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*swē-
“To be well, healthy, or whole.”
Latin
Latin
sānus
“Healthy, sound, sane.”
Late Latin
Latin
sāpidus
“Secure, safe, unharmed.”
Old French
Old French
sauf
“Safe, unharmed, exempt.”
Middle English
English
sauf
“Safe, secure, free from harm.”
Modern English
English
safe
“Protected from harm, danger, or risk.”
Explore more surprising origins