Where does “chinky” come from?
chinky (English) comes from English Chink, from Middle English chine, from Old English ċine, from Swahili kinu, from Proto-Germanic kinō, from Proto-Indo-European ǵi-n-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵey- — to split; divide; germinate; sprout; to split;...
chinky (English): Full of chinks, laden with small cracks or...
Definitions
- Full of chinks, laden with small cracks or...
Ancestry of “chinky”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Chink | A person of perceived Chinese ethnicity; Chinese,... |
| 2 | Middle English | chine | — |
| 3 | Old English | ċine | a crack, chine, chink |
| 4 | Swahili | kinu | mortar |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | kinō | A split; crack; A germ; sprout |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵi-n- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵey- | to split; divide; germinate; sprout; to split;... |