Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “blackguard” come from?

Blackguard derives from English black and guard, with black tracing through Middle English black, Old English blæc, and Old Norse bleikr to Proto-Indo-European bʰleyǵ-, meaning to shine or burn.

blackguard (English): A scoundrel; an unprincipled contemptible person;...

Definitions

  1. A scoundrel; an unprincipled contemptible person;...

Ancestry of “blackguard”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishguardA person who, or thing that, protects or watches...
2Middle Englishgardeguardianship, safeguarding, covering, authority;...
3Old Frenchguardeprotection; act of protecting; guard; inflection...
4Old Frenchguarderto protect; to guard; to look at
5Frankishwardēnto protect; to guard, protect, watch over; to...
6Proto-Germanicwardānąto guard, protect, watch over
7Proto-Germanic*warduz—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwēr-true
9Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “blackguard”

  • blackguardism
  • blackguardly
  • blégèrde
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →