Where does “gainfulness” come from?
gainfulness (English) comes from English gainful, from English gain, from Middle French gain, from Old French gaaing, from Old French gaaignier, from Vulgar Latin *wadaniāre, from English unspecified, from English Un- — not.
gainfulness (English): The state or quality of being gainful;...
Definitions
- The state or quality of being gainful;...
Ancestry of “gainfulness”, step by step
gainfulness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English gainful
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | gainful | Contrary; Disposed to taking advantage of;... |
| 2 | English | gain | To acquire possession of; To have or receive... |
| 3 | Middle French | gain | income |
| 4 | Old French | gaaing | gain |
| 5 | Old French | gaaignier | Alternative form of gaigner; to earn, gain,... |
| 6 | Vulgar Latin | *wadaniāre | — |
| 7 | English | unspecified | Not specified; not thoroughly explained or... |
| 8 | English | Un- | not |
| 9 | Middle English | un- | — |
| 10 | Old English | un- | negation or absence of: un-, non-; bad; forms... |
| 11 | Proto-West Germanic | un- | not, un- |
| 12 | Proto-Germanic | un- | not, un- |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | n̥- | not, un- |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | ne | not |
via English Ness
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ness | An Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa |
| 2 | Middle English | nesse | — |
| 3 | Old English | næs | not, not at all; not; first/third-person singular... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | nasją | foothill; headland; cape |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂s | nose |