Etymology Explorer › English

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

  1. To quarrel in a tiresome, insulting manner; To...

Ancestry of “bicker”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Scotsbicker—
2Middle Englishbiker—
3Old Norsebikarrcup; large cup, beaker
4Old Saxonbikericup
5Latinbīcārium—
6Ancient Greekβῖκοςvase with handles, amphora; land measure of...
7Latinvīcus—
8Proto-Italicweikos—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanweyḱ-to enter in; to settle; settlement
10Proto-Indo-Europeanwey-to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...

Words derived from “bicker”

  • bickering
  • bickerer
  • bickerment
  • bickersome
  • bickeringly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wey- →