Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gossamery” come from?

gossamery (English) comes from English gossamer, from Middle English gossomer, from Middle English somer, from Old English sumor, from Proto-West Germanic sumar, from Proto-Germanic sumaraz, from Proto-Indo-European sm̥m-aro-, from Proto-Indo-European sm̥-h₂-ó- — summer, year.

gossamery (English): Like gossamer; flimsy

Definitions

  1. Like gossamer; flimsy

Ancestry of “gossamery”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgossamerA fine film or strand as of cobwebs, floating in...
2Middle Englishgossomergossamer; Anything that is of little value or...
3Middle Englishsomersummer
4Old Englishsumorsummer
5Proto-West Germanicsumarsummer
6Proto-Germanicsumarazsummer
7Proto-Indo-Europeansm̥m-aro-—
8Proto-Indo-Europeansm̥-h₂-ó-—
9Proto-Indo-Europeansemh₂-summer, year
Every word from Proto-Indo-European semh₂- →