Where does “gloss” come from?
Gloss comes from Middle English glosse, from Old French gloser, from Ancient Greek γλῶσσα, derived from Ancient Greek γλῶσσᾰ meaning tongue or language.
gloss (English): A surface shine or luster; A superficially or...
Definitions
- A surface shine or luster; A superficially or...
Ancestry of “gloss”, step by step
gloss traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English glosse
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | glosse | — |
| 2 | Late Latin | glossa | gloss; obsolete or foreign word requiring... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | γλῶσσα | a tongue; a language; the mouthpiece of a pipe |
| 4 | Old Norse | glotta | to grin, smile scornfully |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | glutōną | To stare; gawk |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰel- | to shine, glimmer, glow; to shimmer, gleam;... |
via Old French gloser
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | gloser | — |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | glossa | explanation of a difficult word; an obsolete,... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | γλῶσσᾰ | tongue; language; tongue |
via Medieval Latin glossare
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | glossare | — |