Etymology Explorer › Dutch

Where does “sexy” come from?

sexy (Dutch) comes from English sexy, from English sex, from English sect, from Middle English secte, from Old French secte, from Late Latin secta, from Latin sequi, from Latin sequor — to follow; to see; to say.

sexy (Dutch): sexy

Definitions

  1. sexy

Ancestry of “sexy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsexyHaving sex appeal; suggestive of sex; That can...
2EnglishsexA category into which sexually-reproducing...
3EnglishsectAn offshoot of a larger religion; a group sharing...
4Middle EnglishsecteA variety or sort; a category with a...
5Old Frenchsectea sect in philosophy or religion
6Late Latinsectaa sect in philosophy or religion, a school,...
7Latinsequipresent active infinitive of sequor; follow, come...
8LatinsequorI follow, come or go after
9Proto-Italicsekʷōrfollow, come/go after
10Proto-Indo-Europeansékʷetorto be following
11Proto-Indo-Europeansekʷ-to follow; to see; to say
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sekʷ- →