Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “-speak” come from?

-speak (English) comes from English Newspeak, from English new, from Middle English newe, from Old English nīewe, from Proto-West Germanic niwi, from Proto-Germanic *niwjaz, from Proto-Indo-European néwyos, from Proto-Indo-European néwos — new; to nod, assent to.

-speak (English): Indicates a manner of speech or writing typical...

Definitions

  1. Indicates a manner of speech or writing typical...

Ancestry of “-speak”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNewspeakAlternative spelling of newspeak
2EnglishnewRecently made, or created; Additional; recently...
3Middle Englishnewenew; The new moon; Alternative form of neve
4Old Englishnīewenew
5Proto-West Germanicniwinew
6Proto-Germanic*niwjaz—
7Proto-Indo-EuropeannéwyosAlternative form of *néwos; new
8Proto-Indo-Europeannéwosnew
9Proto-Indo-Europeannew-new; to nod, assent to

Words derived from “-speak”

  • doublespeak
  • geekspeak
  • greenspeak
  • elderspeak
  • technospeak
  • Fedspeak
  • Eurospeak
  • netspeak
  • artspeak
  • gayspeak
  • nukespeak
  • adspeak
  • techspeak
  • spookspeak
  • corporatespeak
  • doctorspeak
  • bizspeak
  • groupspeak
  • eduspeak
  • childspeak
  • mediaspeak
  • militaryspeak
  • lawyerspeak
  • kidspeak
Every word from Proto-Indo-European new- →