Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “clownly” come from?

clownly (English) comes from English clown, from English clowne, from Old Welsh *Colün, from Old English īeġ, from Proto-West Germanic auwju, from Proto-Germanic awjō, from Proto-Germanic agwjō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ékʷeh₂ — water.

clownly (English): Of, relating to, or befitting a clown; clownish;...

Definitions

  1. Of, relating to, or befitting a clown; clownish;...

Ancestry of “clownly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishclownA slapstick performance artist often associated...
2Englishclowne—
3Old Welsh*Colün—
4Old Englishīeġisland
5Proto-West Germanicauwjufloodplain; meadow; island
6Proto-Germanicawjōfloodplain; meadow; island
7Proto-Germanicagwjō—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ékʷeh₂water
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ékʷeh₂ →