Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “chancy” come from?

chancy (English) comes from English chance, from Middle English chance, from Old French cheance, from Vulgar Latin cadentia, from Latin cadēns, from Latin cadō, from Proto-Italic kadō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱad- — to fall.

chancy (English): uncertain, risky, hazardous; subject to chance;...

Definitions

  1. uncertain, risky, hazardous; subject to chance;...

Ancestry of “chancy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishchanceAn opportunity or possibility; Random occurrence;...
2Middle Englishchance—
3Old Frenchcheanceaccident, chance, luck
4Vulgar Latincadentiafalling
5Latincadēns—
6Latincadō—
7Proto-Italickadōfall, sink
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱad-to fall

Words derived from “chancy”

  • unchancy
  • chanciness
  • wanchancy
  • chancily
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱad- →