Where does “jig” come from?
Jig is an English word of uncertain origin, possibly related to Latin gignere meaning "to beget" through Proto-Italic genos and Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁-.
jig (English): A light, brisk musical movement; a gigue; A...
Definitions
- A light, brisk musical movement; a gigue; A...
Ancestry of “jig”, step by step
jig traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English gyge
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | gyge | To make a creaking sound |
| 2 | Old French | gigue | a fiddle, kind of dance |
| 3 | Frankish | gīge | dance, fiddle |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | gīganą | to move, wish, desire |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰeyǵʰ- | — |
via English jigaboo
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | jigaboo | A black person; Any dark-skinned person |