Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “do” come from?

Do comes from English do, from Italian ditto, from Italian detto, from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁- meaning to place or put.

do (English): 1897 December , Winston Churchill, chapter IV,...

Definitions

  1. 1897 December , Winston Churchill, chapter IV,...

Ancestry of “do”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdittoThat which was stated before, the aforesaid, the...
2Italianditto—
3Italiandettopast participle of dire; past participle of...
4Latindictussaid, uttered; mentioned, spoken, having been...
5Latindīcō—
6Latin-tiō—
7Latindissertātiō—
8Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
9Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
10Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
11Latincalceusshoe
12Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
13Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “do”

  • done
  • undone
  • wrongdoing
  • don't
  • redo
  • outdo
  • doest
  • hairdo
  • underdone
  • doneness
  • doh
  • dup
  • doner
  • updo
  • doability
  • undoneness
  • redoable
  • do one's block
  • todo
  • dost
  • dogoodery
  • to-do
  • do-rag
  • outdoer
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →