Where does “besmear” come from?
besmear (English) comes from English smear, from Middle English smeren, from Old English smerian, from Proto-West Germanic *smirwijan, from Proto-Germanic smirwijaną, from Proto-Germanic -janą, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti, from Proto-Indo-European yé- — he, she.
besmear (English): To smear over; smear all over; sully
Definitions
- To smear over; smear all over; sully
Ancestry of “besmear”, step by step
besmear traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English smear
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | smear | To spread (a substance, especially one that colours or is dirty) across a surface by rubbing |
| 2 | Middle English | smeren | — |
| 3 | Old English | smerian | to laugh at |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *smirwijan | to smear |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | smirwijaną | to smear, anoint |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -janą | Derives denominatives from nouns and factitives... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 9 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |
via Middle English bismeoruwed
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | bismeoruwed | beslobbered, filthy |
| 2 | Old English | besmirwan | Alternative form of besmierwan |