Where does “nietsnut” come from?
nietsnut (Dutch) comes from Dutch niets, from Dutch iets, from Middle Dutch iet, from Middle Dutch iewet, from Old Dutch iowiht, from Old Dutch io, from Proto-West Germanic aiw, from Proto-Germanic aiwaz — vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning.
nietsnut (Dutch): good-for-nothing
Ancestry of “nietsnut”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | niets | nothing |
| 2 | Dutch | iets | something; anything; somewhat |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | iet | something, anything; to any degree, in any way,... |
| 4 | Middle Dutch | iewet | Alternative form of iet |
| 5 | Old Dutch | iowiht | — |
| 6 | Old Dutch | io | always, every time, continuously; ever, at some... |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | aiw | long time, age, eternity; law |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | aiwaz | long time, age, eternity |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyu- | vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ey- | vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning |