Where does “jest” come from?
Jest comes from Middle English geste and gest, from Latin gesta, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʰóstis.
jest (English): An act performed for amusement; a joke; Someone...
Definitions
- An act performed for amusement; a joke; Someone...
Ancestry of “jest”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | geste | A epic work of poetry or music; A written story... |
| 2 | Middle French | geste | act; action |
| 3 | Old French | geste | act; action; story of heroism or bravery; gesture |
| 4 | Latin | gesta | nominative feminine singular of gestus;... |
Words derived from “jest”