Where does “kitten” come from?
kitten (Dutch) comes from Dutch kit, from English kit, from Middle English kyt, from German kitt, from Old High German kuti, from Proto-West Germanic kwidu, from Proto-Germanic kweduz, from Proto-Indo-European gʷet- — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
kitten (Dutch): a young cat; kitten; to apply sealant to
Definitions
- a young cat; kitten; to apply sealant to
Ancestry of “kitten”, step by step
kitten traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Dutch kit
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | kit | metal can, used mainly for coal; sealant; set of... |
| 2 | English | kit | A circular wooden vessel, made of hooped staves;... |
| 3 | Middle English | kyt | — |
| 4 | German | kitt | putty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes |
| 5 | Old High German | kuti | — |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | kwidu | gum, resin |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | kweduz | resin |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷet- | resin, gum; to say, speak |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | gū- | to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,... |