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Cha·vin or Cha·vín

(chä-vēn)

An early pre-Incan civilization that flourished in northern and central Peru from about 900 to 200 BC, known for its carved stone sculptures and boldly designed ceramics.

[After Chavín de Huántar.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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