Where does “coyness” come from?
Coyness derives from English coy plus the Old English suffix -nes, ultimately from Latin quietus meaning quiet or calm, via Latin -ia and -io formations and the prefix com-.
coyness (English): The property of being coy
Definitions
- The property of being coy
Ancestry of “coyness”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | coy | Bashful, shy, retiring; Quiet, reserved, modest;... |
| 2 | Middle English | coy | — |
| 3 | Old French | coi | — |
| 4 | Old French | quei | quiet, still |
| 5 | Latin | quiētus | at rest/nap, quiet, keeping quiet, quietude, quietness |
| 6 | Latin | quiēscō | to rest, sleep, repose |
| 7 | Latin | quiēs | the rest of sleep, repose |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | kʷiētis | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷyéh₁tis | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷyeh₁- | to rest; rest, peace |