Where does “busybodyish” come from?
busybodyish (English) comes from English busybody, from English Body, from Middle English bode, from Old English boda, from Proto-Germanic budô, from Proto-Germanic beudaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰewdʰ- — to be awake, be aware.
busybodyish (English): Like a busybody; interfering, meddling
Definitions
- Like a busybody; interfering, meddling
Ancestry of “busybodyish”, step by step
busybodyish traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English busybody
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | busybody | Someone who interferes with others; one who is... |
| 2 | English | Body | Corpus Christi College, Cambridge |
| 3 | Middle English | bode | messenger |
| 4 | Old English | boda | messenger, envoy, herald, apostle, angel; prophet |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | budô | messenger |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | beudaną | to offer, to bid |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰewdʰ- | to be awake, be aware |
via English ish
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ish | Pronunciation spelling of is; somewhat,... |
| 2 | English | -ish | Typical of, similar to, being like; Somewhat,... |
| 3 | Middle English | -ish | Alternative form of -yssh |
| 4 | Old English | -isċ | -ish |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | -isk | Creates adjectives from nouns |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -iskaz | Forms adjectives from nouns with the sense of... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -iskos | Characteristic of, typical of, pertaining to |