Etymology Explorer › Afrikaans

Where does “kwaai” come from?

kwaai (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch kwaad, from Middle Dutch quâet, from Old Dutch kwāt, from Old Saxon kwād, from Proto-Germanic kwēdą, from Proto-Indo-European gʷuē- — excrement, dung.

kwaai (Afrikaans): cool

Definitions

  1. cool

Ancestry of “kwaai”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchkwaadangry, furious; bad, evil, crooked; evil
2Middle Dutchquâet—
3Old Dutchkwāt—
4Old Saxonkwād—
5Proto-Germanickwēdąmanure; dung; filth; muck; wickedness; evil
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʷuē-excrement, dung

Words derived from “kwaai”

  • kwaito
  • kwaai
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷuē- →