Where does “bit part” come from?
bit part (English) comes from English bit, from Middle English bitte, from Old English byt, from Proto-Germanic *buttjā, from Latin buttia, from Ancient Greek βούττιον, from Ancient Greek -ῐον, from Proto-Indo-European -yós — Creates adjectives from noun or verb stems.
bit part (English): A minor role, generally not assigned a name
Definitions
- A minor role, generally not assigned a name
Ancestry of “bit part”, step by step
bit part traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English bit
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | bit | A piece of metal placed in a horse's mouth and... |
| 2 | Middle English | bitte | A flexible container for water or wine; a waterskin or wineskin |
| 3 | Old English | byt | bottle, flagon |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *buttjā | — |
| 5 | Latin | buttia | cask, barrel |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | βούττιον | — |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | -ῐον | diminutive suffix; "suffix forming... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -yós | Creates adjectives from noun or verb stems |
via English part
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | part | A portion; a component; Duty; responsibility; The... |
| 2 | Middle English | part | part |
| 3 | Old French | partir | to leave; to divide up |
| 4 | Latin | partiō | to share, part, apportion; divide, distribute |
| 5 | Latin | pars | part, side, piece, share; some; faction |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |