Where does “grifter” come from?
grifter (English) comes from English grift, from English graft, from Middle English graffe, from Old French greffe, from Latin graphium, from Ancient Greek γραφεῖον, from Ancient Greek γράφω, from Proto-Hellenic grəpʰō — to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind...
grifter (English): A con artist; someone who pulls confidence games
Definitions
- A con artist; someone who pulls confidence games
Ancestry of “grifter”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | grift | A confidence game or swindle; To obtain... |
| 2 | English | graft | A small shoot or scion of a tree inserted in... |
| 3 | Middle English | graffe | Alternative form of grave |
| 4 | Old French | greffe | stylus |
| 5 | Latin | graphium | stylus; pen |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | γραφεῖον | pencil |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | γράφω | to scratch, cut into; to draw, sketch, paint; to... |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | grəpʰō | to scratch, cut or carve into; to draw ,... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | gerbʰ- | to carve |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ger- | to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind... |