Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “guess” come from?

Guess comes from Middle English gessen, of uncertain origin and ultimate meaning.

guess (English): To reach a partly unqualified conclusion; To...

Definitions

  1. To reach a partly unqualified conclusion; To...

Ancestry of “guess”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgessento guess; to suppose
2Old Danishgetse—
3Old Norsegetsa—
4Proto-Germanicgitisōnąto guess
5Proto-Germanicgetanąto attain, acquire, get, receive, hold
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰed-to defecate

Words derived from “guess”

  • guesswork
  • unguessable
  • outguess
  • guessable
  • guestimate
  • guessability
  • guesseth
  • guessest
  • unguessably
  • misguess
  • underguess
  • guessably
  • unguessability
  • guessive
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰed- →