Where does “kiss-ass” come from?
kiss-ass (English) comes from English KISS, from Middle English kissen, from Old English cyssan, from Proto-West Germanic *kussijan, from Proto-Germanic kussijaną, from Proto-Germanic -janą, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti, from Proto-Indo-European yé- — he, she.
kiss-ass (English): An obsequious person that tries to win the favor...
Definitions
- An obsequious person that tries to win the favor...
Ancestry of “kiss-ass”, step by step
kiss-ass traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English KISS
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | KISS | Acronym of keep it simple, stupid; The KISS... |
| 2 | Middle English | kissen | to kiss |
| 3 | Old English | cyssan | to kiss |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *kussijan | to kiss |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | kussijaną | to kiss |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -janą | Derives denominatives from nouns and factitives... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 9 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |
via English ass
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ass | Any of several species of horse-like animals,... |
| 2 | Middle English | asse | Alternative form of axen |
| 3 | Old English | assa | ass, donkey |
| 4 | Old English | assen | she-ass |
| 5 | Latin | asinus | a donkey, an ass; an ass, an idiot, a dolt, a... |
| 6 | Latin | acinus | a berry, especially the grape; the seed of a... |
| 7 | Latin | acies | sharp edge or point; battle line; battle,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱ- | sharp |