Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gameful” come from?

gameful (English) comes from Middle English gameful, from Middle English gamenful, from Middle English gamen, from Old English gamen, from Proto-West Germanic gaman, from Proto-Germanic gamaną, from Proto-Germanic ga-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

gameful (English): Full of game; Characteristic of prey; game-like;...

Definitions

  1. Full of game; Characteristic of prey; game-like;...

Ancestry of “gameful”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgamefulmirthful, merry
2Middle Englishgamenful—
3Middle EnglishgamenTo entertain or enjoy oneself; to display...
4Old Englishgamengame, sport, or pastime; joy, mirth, or pleasure
5Proto-West Germanicgaman—
6Proto-Germanicgamanąa fellow human, associate, companion; pleasure,...
7Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
10Middle Englishkyt—
11Germankitt—
12Old High Germankuti—
13Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
14Proto-Germanickweduzresin
15Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
16Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →