Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gnash” come from?

Gnash comes from Middle English gnasten, from Old English gnǣstan, from Proto-Germanic gnaistijaną and gnīstijaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ghneidh-.

gnash (English): To grind in pain or in anger; To grind between...

Definitions

  1. To grind in pain or in anger; To grind between...

Ancestry of “gnash”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgnastento gnash the teeth
2Old Englishgnǣstan—
3Proto-Germanicgnaistijaną—
4Proto-Germanicgnīstijanąto grind
5Proto-Indo-Europeanghneidh-—

Words derived from “gnash”

  • nash
  • gnasheth
  • gnasher
  • gnashest
  • gnashy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ghneidh- →