Where does “cuddly” come from?
Cuddly comes from English cuddle plus the Middle English suffix -y, from Middle French -ie, from Latin -ia, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -kos.
cuddly (English): Suitable for cuddling; designed to be cuddled;...
Definitions
- Suitable for cuddling; designed to be cuddled;...
Ancestry of “cuddly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | cuddle | A snuggle; an affectionate embrace, often given... |
| 2 | Middle English | cudden | — |
| 3 | Middle English | kithen | Alternative form of kiþen; to be familiar with,... |
| 4 | Old English | cȳþan | to make known: tell, inform, announce, reveal, let know |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | kunþijan | to make known |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | kunþijaną | to make known, announce |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | kunþaz | past participle of *kunnaną; known |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | kunnaną | to know, to be familiar with, to recognise; to... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵneh₃- | to know |