Where does “direfulness” come from?
direfulness (English) comes from English direful, from English dire, from Latin dirus, from Proto-Italic deiros, from Proto-Indo-European dwey- — to fear.
direfulness (English): Quality of being direful
Definitions
- Quality of being direful
Ancestry of “direfulness”, step by step
direfulness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English direful
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | direful | Fearful, terrible |
| 2 | English | dire | Warning of bad consequences: ill-boding;... |
| 3 | Latin | dirus | fearful; ominous; dreadful, detestable |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | deiros | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dwey- | to fear |
via English Ness
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ness | An Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa |
| 2 | Middle English | nesse | — |
| 3 | Old English | næs | not, not at all; not; first/third-person singular... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | nasją | foothill; headland; cape |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂s | nose |