Where does “cheerful” come from?
Cheerful derives from Middle English chereful, a word of uncertain ultimate origin whose earliest sense remains unattested.
cheerful (English): Noticeably happy and optimistic; Bright and...
Definitions
- Noticeably happy and optimistic; Bright and...
Ancestry of “cheerful”, step by step
cheerful traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English cheer
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | cheer | A cheerful attitude; happiness; a good, happy, or... |
| 2 | Middle English | chere | state of mind as indicated by facial expression;... |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | chere | — |
| 4 | Old French | chiere | face; oblique/nominative feminine singular of... |
| 5 | Latin | cara | nominative feminine singular of cārus; nominative... |
| 6 | Latin | cārus | dear, beloved |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | kāros | dear |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kéh₂ros | loved; dear |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | keh₂- | to desire, wish |
via Middle English chereful
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | chereful | — |