Where does “asshole” come from?
Asshole comes from Middle English arshole, a compound of ars (buttocks) and hole, ultimately referring to the opening of the rectum.
asshole (English): The anus; A jerk; an inappropriately or...
Definitions
- The anus; A jerk; an inappropriately or...
Ancestry of “asshole”, step by step
asshole traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English Ash
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ash | The Egyptian god of oases |
| 2 | Middle English | asshe | ashes; The remnants of a lifeform; The matter... |
| 3 | Old English | æsc | ash tree; spear; ship |
| 4 | Old English | æsċ | ash tree; ash, spear, lance, ship |
| 5 | Old English | trēo | — |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | treu | tree; wood |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | trewą | tree |
| 8 | English | doru | Alternative form of dory |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | δόρυ | wood, tree, stem; spear shaft, spear, lance,... |
| 10 | Proto-Hellenic | dóru | tree |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | dóru | tree |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | drew- | hard, firm, strong, solid; hard, fast; tree |
via Scots ass
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scots | ass | — |