Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “arsesmart” come from?

arsesmart (English) comes from English arse, from Middle English ars, from Old French arz, from Latin artes, from Latin ars, from Proto-Italic artis, from Proto-Indo-European h₂értis, from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- — to fit, to fix, to put together.

arsesmart (English): The water pepper plant, Persicaria hydropiper

Definitions

  1. The water pepper plant, Persicaria hydropiper

Ancestry of “arsesmart”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglisharseThe buttocks or more specifically, the anus; A...
2Middle Englisharsarse, anus; bottom, buttocks; plural of art
3Old Frencharz—
4Latinartessecond-person singular present active subjunctive...
5Latinarsart; skill, craft, handicraft, trade, power
6Proto-Italicartis—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂értisfitting
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- →