Where does “earnest” come from?
Earnest comes from Old English eornest, derived from Proto-Germanic *arnustiz, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European roots meaning serious intent or vigorous striving.
earnest (English): Gravity; serious purpose; earnestness;...
Definitions
- Gravity; serious purpose; earnestness;...
Ancestry of “earnest”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | -est | Used to form the superlative of adjectives and... |
| 2 | Middle English | -est | Used to form the second-person singular present... |
| 3 | Old English | -est | suffix forming feminine nouns, originally from... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | -istaz | -est |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -istHos | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -yōs | Forms adjectives from roots, meaning "very" or... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yoss | — |
Words derived from “earnest”