Where does “bicker” come from?
Bicker comes from Middle English biker, from Old Norse bikarr, from Old Saxon bikeri, originally meaning a drinking vessel or cup.
bicker (English): To quarrel in a tiresome, insulting manner; To...
Definitions
- To quarrel in a tiresome, insulting manner; To...
Ancestry of “bicker”, step by step
bicker traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Scots bicker
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scots | bicker | — |
| 2 | Middle English | biker | — |
| 3 | Old Norse | bikarr | cup; large cup, beaker |
| 4 | Old Saxon | bikeri | cup |
| 5 | Latin | bīcārium | drinking glass |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | βῖκος | vase with handles, amphora; land measure of... |
| 7 | Latin | vīcus | row of houses; street; quarter; neighbourhood |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | weikos | village |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | weyḱ- | to enter in; to settle; settlement |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | wey- | to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;... |
via Middle English bikeren
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | bikeren | to attack |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *bikaizjan | — |