Where does “flippant” come from?
Flippant derives from the English verb flip, which comes from the English noun fillip, traced through Middle English filippen and ultimately Middle English flappen.
flippant (English): glib; speaking with ease and rapidity; nimble;...
Definitions
- glib; speaking with ease and rapidity; nimble;...
Ancestry of “flippant”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | flippand | prattling, babbling, glib |
| 2 | English | flip | A maneuver which rotates an object end over end;... |
| 3 | English | fillip | The action of holding the tip of a finger against... |
| 4 | Middle English | filippen | to make a signal or sound with thumb and right... |
| 5 | Middle English | flappen | to flap, clap, slap, strike |