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

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰed-
guess — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer