Where does “gossamerlike” come from?
gossamerlike (English) comes from English like, from Dutch luik, from Middle Dutch luke, from Dutch luiken, from Middle Dutch luken, from Old Dutch lūcan, from Proto-West Germanic lūkan, from Proto-Germanic lūkaną — to break, tear; to break, shatter.
gossamerlike (English): Resembling gossamer; light and airy
Definitions
- Resembling gossamer; light and airy
Ancestry of “gossamerlike”, step by step
gossamerlike traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English like
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | like | To enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of;... |
| 2 | Dutch | luik | hatch; shutter; panel, as in a triptych |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | luke | — |
| 4 | Dutch | luiken | to close, to shut |
| 5 | Middle Dutch | luken | to close, to shut; to close, to become closed |
| 6 | Old Dutch | lūcan | to close, shut |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | lūkan | to close, to shut |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | lūkaną | to close, to shut; Alternative form of *leukaną |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | lewǵ- | to break, tear; to break, shatter |
via English gossamer
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | gossamer | A fine film or strand as of cobwebs, floating in... |
| 2 | Middle English | gossomer | gossamer; Anything that is of little value or... |
| 3 | Middle English | somer | summer |
| 4 | Old English | sumor | summer |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | sumar | summer |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | sumaraz | summer |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sm̥m-aro- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sm̥-h₂-ó- | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | semh₂- | summer, year |