Where does “kattenkwaad” come from?

kattenkwaad (Dutch) comes from Dutch kat, from Middle Dutch catte, from Old Dutch katta, from Proto-Celtic kattā, from Proto-Germanic *kattǭ, from Latin catta, from Latin cattus — a cat.

kattenkwaad (Dutch): vexatious conduct, mischief

Definitions

  1. vexatious conduct, mischief

Ancestry of “kattenkwaad”, step by step

kattenkwaad traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch kat

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchkatcat, pussy, "Felis silvestris catus"; female cat;...
2Middle Dutchcattecat
3Old Dutchkattacat
4Proto-Celtickattācat
5Proto-Germanic*kattǭfemale cat
6Latincattaa cat
7Latincattusa cat

via Dutch kwaad

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchkwaadangry, furious; bad, evil, crooked; evil
2Middle Dutchquâetevil
3Old Dutchkwāt—
4Old Saxonkwād—
5Proto-Germanickwēdąmanure; dung; filth; muck; wickedness; evil
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʷuē-excrement, dung
Every word from Latin cattus →Every word from Latin catta →Every word from Proto-Germanic *kattǭ →
kattenkwaad — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer