Where does “alcoholic” come from?
Alcoholic derives from English alcohol, from French alcohol, from Arabic كحل (kohl, a powdered cosmetic), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -kos.
alcoholic (English): A person addicted to alcohol; One who abuses...
Definitions
- A person addicted to alcohol; One who abuses...
Ancestry of “alcoholic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ic | Used to form adjectives from nouns with the... |
| 2 | Middle English | -ik | Alternative form of -y; Forms nouns denoting a... |
| 3 | Old French | -ique | -ic |
| 4 | Latin | -icus | belonging to; derived from; of or pertaining to;... |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | *-ikos | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or pertaining to' |