Where does “daredevil” come from?
Dare originates from Old English darian, from Old English durran, from Proto-Germanic durzaną, from Ancient Greek διάβολος, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-.
daredevil (English): A person who engages in very risky behavior,...
Definitions
- A person who engages in very risky behavior,...
Ancestry of “daredevil”, step by step
daredevil traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Devil
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Devil | The chief devil; Satan |
| 2 | Middle English | devel | Satan, Lucifer; A devil; an evil creature that... |
| 3 | Old English | dēofol | demon |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | diubul | devil |
| 5 | Latin | diabolus | devil |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | διάβολος | slanderous; libellous; slanderer; the Devil |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | διαβάλλω | throw over or across; set at variance, make a... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | δῐᾰ- | apart; through, across; through; in different... |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | διά | throughout |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | dwís | twice, doubly; in two |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | dwóh₁ | two |
via English dare
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | dare | To have enough courage; To defy or challenge; To... |
| 2 | Middle English | durren | To dare, be willing to do in the face of... |
| 3 | Old English | durran | to dare |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | durʀan | to dare |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | durzaną | to dare |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰedʰórse | to dare |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰers- | to be bold, to dare |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |