Where does “handwave” come from?
handwave (English) comes from English Hand, from Middle English hond, from Old English hand, from Proto-West Germanic handu, from Swedish hand, from Old Swedish hand, from Old Norse hǫnd, from Proto-Germanic handuz — hand.
handwave (English): The wave of a hand; A glib statement or...
Definitions
- The wave of a hand; A glib statement or...
Ancestry of “handwave”, step by step
handwave traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Hand
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Hand | The part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals |
| 2 | Middle English | hond | hand; Alternative form of hound |
| 3 | Old English | hand | A hand |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | handu | hand |
| 5 | Swedish | hand | A hand; A hand; the set of cards held by a player |
| 6 | Old Swedish | hand | A hand; A direction; A behalf |
| 7 | Old Norse | hǫnd | hand |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | handuz | hand |
via English wave
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wave | To move back and forth repeatedly and somewhat... |
| 2 | Middle English | wawe | A wave; Any sort of flowing or spurting motion;... |
| 3 | Old English | wǣġ | a weight; a tool for weighing, balance, scale |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wēgaz | wave; sea |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | weǵʰ- | to bring; to transport |