Where does “girthsome” come from?

girthsome (English) comes from English some, from Middle English som, from Old English sum, from Proto-West Germanic *sum, from Proto-Germanic sumaz, from Proto-Indo-European sem- — together, one.

girthsome (English): Characterised or marked by girth; girthy

Definitions

  1. Characterised or marked by girth; girthy

Ancestry of “girthsome”, step by step

girthsome traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English some

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsomeA certain number, at least two; An indefinite...
2Middle Englishsomsome
3Old Englishsumsome
4Proto-West Germanic*sumsome
5Proto-Germanicsumazsome (one), a certain (one)
6Proto-Indo-Europeansem-together, one

via English girth

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgirthA band passed under the belly of an animal, which...
2Middle Englishgirth—
3Old Norsegjǫrðgirdle, saddle girth
4Proto-Germanicgerdōgirdle
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʰerdʰ-to enclose, to encircle; enclosure, fence, belt
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sem- →