Where does “listig” come from?
listig (Dutch) comes from Dutch list, from Middle Dutch list, from Old Dutch list, from Proto-West Germanic *listi, from Proto-Germanic listiz, from Proto-Indo-European leys- — to trace, to track.
listig (Dutch): cunning, shrewd
Definitions
- cunning, shrewd
Ancestry of “listig”, step by step
listig traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Dutch list
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | list | a cunning plan, a ruse, a trick |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | list | — |
| 3 | Old Dutch | list | ruse, trick |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *listi | art, craft |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | listiz | art, craft; cunning, guile |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | leys- | to trace, to track |
via Middle Dutch listich
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | listich | — |