Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “catching” come from?

Catching derives from the English verb catch, which comes from Middle English cacchen, from Anglo-Norman cachier, from Late Latin captiare, ultimately from Latin capio meaning to seize or take.

catching (English): contagious; captivating; alluring; catchy; The...

Definitions

  1. contagious; captivating; alluring; catchy; The...

Ancestry of “catching”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcatchThe act of seizing or capturing; The act of...
2Middle Englishcacchento catch
3Anglo-Normancachierto hide; Alternative form of chacier
4Vulgar Latincoacticarepresent active infinitive of *coacticō
5Latincoactō—
6Latincoactusforced, compelled, having been forced; urged,...
7Latincōgō—
8Latincōn-—
9Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
10Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
11Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
12Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
13Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
14Middle Englishkyt—
15Germankitt—
16Old High Germankuti—
17Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
18Proto-Germanickweduzresin

Words derived from “catching”

  • flycatching
  • birdcatching
  • slavecatching
  • spycatching
Every word from Proto-Germanic kweduz →