Where does “guessive” come from?
guessive (English) comes from English guess, from Middle English gessen, from Old Danish getse, from Old Norse getsa, from Proto-Germanic gitisōną, from Proto-Germanic getaną, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰed- — to defecate.
guessive (English): conjectural
Ancestry of “guessive”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | guess | To reach a partly unqualified conclusion; To... |
| 2 | Middle English | gessen | to guess; to suppose |
| 3 | Old Danish | getse | — |
| 4 | Old Norse | getsa | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | gitisōną | to guess |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | getaną | to attain, acquire, get, receive, hold |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰed- | to defecate |