Where does “greenskin” come from?
greenskin (English) comes from English skin, from Middle English skinn, from Old English scinn, from Old Norse skinn, from Proto-Germanic skinþą, from Proto-Indo-European sken-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ken- — to peel; to split off; peel.
greenskin (English): One of several distinct green-skinned creatures...
Definitions
- One of several distinct green-skinned creatures...
Ancestry of “greenskin”, step by step
greenskin traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English skin
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | skin | The outer protective layer of the body of any... |
| 2 | Middle English | skinn | Alternative form of skyn |
| 3 | Old English | scinn | a skin |
| 4 | Old Norse | skinn | animal hide |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | skinþą | animal hide; fruit peel; skin |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sken- | to split off |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ken- | to peel; to split off; peel |