Where does “eavesdrop” come from?
Eavesdrop comes from Middle English eves, from Old English dropa, from Proto-Germanic drupô, from Proto-Indo-European dʰrew-.
eavesdrop (English): To hear a conversation one is not intended to...
Definitions
- To hear a conversation one is not intended to...
Ancestry of “eavesdrop”, step by step
eavesdrop traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English drop
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | drop | A small quantity of liquid, just large enough to... |
| 2 | Middle English | droppen | To drip; to fall in drops |
| 3 | Old English | dropian | to drop |
| 4 | Old English | -ian | Forms verbs from nouns and adjectives |
| 5 | Old English | -ōjan | — |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | -ōn | Creates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates... |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | -ōną | Creates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -eh₂yéti | Creates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 11 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |