Where does “jitterbug” come from?
jitterbug (English) comes from English jitter, from English jit, from English jitney, from Louisiana Creole French jetnée, from French jeton, from French jeter, from Old French jeter, from Latin iectāre — to throw.
jitterbug (English): A nervous or jittery person; A jazz musician or...
Definitions
- A nervous or jittery person; A jazz musician or...
Ancestry of “jitterbug”, step by step
jitterbug traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English jitter
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | jitter | A nervous action; a tic; A state of nervousness;... |
| 2 | English | jit | To compile immediately when needed, as part of... |
| 3 | English | jitney | A small bus or minibus which typically operates... |
| 4 | Louisiana Creole French | jetnée | — |
| 5 | French | jeton | A game chip or token, a counter; A Scrabble tile |
| 6 | French | jeter | to throw; to throw away, discard of; to throw... |
| 7 | Old French | jeter | to throw |
| 8 | Latin | iectāre | — |
| 9 | Latin | iactāre | — |
| 10 | Latin | iaciō | to throw, hurl, cast, fling; throw away |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | (H)yeh₁- | to throw |