Where does “irksome” come from?
Irksome comes from Middle English irkesome, a formation whose ultimate origin and original meaning remain uncertain.
irksome (English): Marked by irritation or annoyance; disagreeable;...
Definitions
- Marked by irritation or annoyance; disagreeable;...
Ancestry of “irksome”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | weorcsum | painful, grievous |
| 2 | Old English | weorc | work, in various senses, including |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | werk | work |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | werką | work |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wérǵom | work |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | werǵ- | to make |
Words derived from “irksome”