Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “clicky” come from?

clicky (English) comes from English click, from Middle English cleken, from Middle English clechen, from Old English clēċan, from Old English clyċċan, from Proto-Germanic klukjaną, from Proto-Germanic klu-, from Proto-Indo-European glew- — to swallow; swallow.

clicky (English): Easily or frequently clicking or being clicked;...

Definitions

  1. Easily or frequently clicking or being clicked;...

Ancestry of “clicky”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishclickA brief, sharp, not particularly loud, relatively...
2Middle Englishclekento seize, clutch; to hatch
3Middle Englishclechento grab
4Old Englishclēċan—
5Old Englishclyċċanto clutch, clench
6Proto-Germanicklukjaną—
7Proto-Germanicklu-to ball up, conglomerate, amass
8Proto-Indo-Europeanglew-Alternative form of *gley-; to amass,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow

Words derived from “clicky”

  • clickily
  • clickiness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- →