Where does “gnat” come from?
Gnat comes from Old English gnætt, from Proto-Germanic gnattaz, from Proto-Indo-European gʰneHdʰn-, ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root gʰen- meaning to strike or gnaw.
gnat (English): Any small insect of the order Diptera,...
Definitions
- Any small insect of the order Diptera,...
Ancestry of “gnat”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | gnat | A gnat or similar insect; Something of little... |
| 2 | Old English | gnætt | a small flying insect or midge; gnat |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *gnatt | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | gnattaz | A bite or scratch; A biting insect; mosquito |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰneHdʰn- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰen- | to gnaw; bite; scratch; grind; to gnaw; bite;... |
Words derived from “gnat”