Where does “backhandedness” come from?

backhandedness (English) comes from English backhanded, from English back, from French bac, from French baccalauréat, from Medieval Latin baccalaureatus, from Latin baccalaureus, from Latin laurea, from Latin laurus — Forms comparative adjectives.

backhandedness (English): The quality of being backhanded

Definitions

  1. The quality of being backhanded

Ancestry of “backhandedness”, step by step

backhandedness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English backhanded

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbackhandedWith the back of the hand; Involving a backward...
2EnglishbackNear the rear; Not current; Far from the main...
3Frenchbacferry; vat; high school exit exam in France; A...
4Frenchbaccalauréatbaccalaureat; bachelor's degree
5Medieval Latinbaccalaureatusbachelor's degree
6Latinbaccalaureusbachelor
7Latinlaurealaurel, bay tree; crown, wreath or branch of...
8Latinlauruslaurel tree; laurels; a crown of laurel
9English-aceousOf, relating to, resembling or containing the...
10Latin-āceusaceous; resembling, having the nature of, forming, belonging to
11Latin-āxish, -y
12Latin-iumSuffix used to form abstract nouns, sometimes...
13Latin-iusforming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter...
14Proto-Italic-jōsForms comparative adjectives

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose
Every word from Proto-Italic -jōs
backhandedness — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer