Where does “endearing” come from?
Endearing derives from English endear, Old English -ing (suffix forming verbs), Latin in- (prefix meaning "in" or "into"), and Proto-Indo-European ne (negative particle).
endearing (English): Inspiring affection or love, often in a childlike...
Definitions
- Inspiring affection or love, often in a childlike...
Ancestry of “endearing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ing | Used to form gerunds, a type of verbal nouns,... |
| 2 | Old English | -ing | Forming nouns from verbs, indicating action,... |
| 3 | Old English | -tūn | homestead, village, town |
| 4 | Old English | tūn | enclosure, yard; place; dwelling |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | tūn | fence |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | tūną | fence; enclosure |
| 7 | Gaulish | dunum | fort; hill, hillfort |
| 8 | Proto-Celtic | dūnom | stronghold, rampart |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |