Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱer- Proto-Indo-European *-sḱéti Proto-Indo-European *ḱreh₁-sḱéti Latin crēscō Latin crēscentem Old French creissant Old French croisant French croissantubor. English croissant Unadapted borrowing from French croissant (“crescent”), present participle of croître (“to grow”). Doublet of crescent.