Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bikeshedding” come from?

bikeshedding (English) comes from English bikeshed, from English watershed, from English shed, from English ED, from Japanese エンディング, from English ending, from Middle English ending, from Middle English endyng — on, onto.

bikeshedding (English): Futile investment of time and energy in...

Definitions

  1. Futile investment of time and energy in...

Ancestry of “bikeshedding”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbikeshedAn enclosed structure where bicycles may be...
2EnglishwatershedThe topographical boundary dividing two adjacent...
3EnglishshedTo part, separate or divide; To part with,...
4EnglishEDInitialism of erectile dysfunction; Initialism of...
5Japaneseエンディングending, especially of a broadcast or performance
6EnglishendingA termination or conclusion; The last part of...
7Middle EnglishendingAlternative form of endyng
8Middle EnglishendyngAn ending, termination, or conclusion;...
9Old Englishendung—
10Old Englishendianto end, make an end of; to finish, complete; to...
11Proto-Germanicandijōnąto end, bring to an end, finish
12Proto-Germanicandijazend
13Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂entíosfront; forehead
14Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
15Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →