Where does “clownish” come from?
Clownish comes from Middle English -isch, from Old English -isċ, from Proto-West Germanic -isk, from Proto-Germanic -iskaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iskos, a suffix forming adjectives.
clownish (English): Like a circus clown; comical, ridiculous;...
Definitions
- Like a circus clown; comical, ridiculous;...
Ancestry of “clownish”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | clown | A slapstick performance artist often associated... |
| 2 | English | clowne | OS grid ref SK4975 |
| 3 | Old Welsh | *Colün | — |
| 4 | Old English | īeġ | island |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | auwju | floodplain; meadow; island |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | awjō | floodplain; meadow; island |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | agwjō | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ékʷeh₂ | water |