Where does “freakish” come from?
Freakish comes from Middle English -isch and Old English -isċ, suffixes derived from Proto-Germanic -iskaz, combined with a root from Proto-Germanic frekô, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European pereg- or (s)per-.
freakish (English): Resembling a freak; Strange, unusual, abnormal or...
Definitions
- Resembling a freak; Strange, unusual, abnormal or...
Ancestry of “freakish”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ish | Typical of, similar to, being like; Somewhat,... |
| 2 | Middle English | -ish | Alternative form of -yssh |
| 3 | Old English | -isċ | -ish |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | -isk | Creates adjectives from nouns |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -iskaz | Forms adjectives from nouns with the sense of... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -iskos | Characteristic of, typical of, pertaining to |