Where does “brownnose” come from?
brownnose (English) comes from English nose, from Middle English nōse, from Old French nous, from Latin nōs, from Proto-Italic nōs, from Proto-Indo-European wéy, from Proto-Indo-European éǵh₂ — I.
brownnose (English): One who brownnoses; one who sucks up; a...
Definitions
- One who brownnoses; one who sucks up; a...
Ancestry of “brownnose”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | nose | A protuberance on the face housing the nostrils,... |
| 2 | Middle English | nōse | nose |
| 3 | Old French | nous | Alternative form of nos |
| 4 | Latin | nōs | — |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | nōs | we |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wéy | we |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | éǵh₂ | I |
Words derived from “brownnose”