Where does “jittery” come from?
Jittery derives from English jitter, itself from English jitterbug, which combines English jit with English bug, the latter originally meaning insect or source of annoyance.
jittery (English): nervy, jumpy, on edge; Having jitter, or unwanted...
Definitions
- nervy, jumpy, on edge; Having jitter, or unwanted...
Ancestry of “jittery”, step by step
| 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 |