Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “kittlish” come from?

kittlish (English) comes from English kittle, from Middle English kitelen, from Old English citelian, from Old Norse kitla, from Proto-Germanic kitilōną, from Proto-Germanic kitōną, from Proto-Indo-European geid- — to stick, jab, tickle; tickle; to tickle, stick.

kittlish (English): ticklish; kittle

Definitions

  1. ticklish; kittle

Ancestry of “kittlish”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishkittleTo tickle, to touch lightly; Ticklish; Not easily...
2Middle Englishkitelen—
3Old Englishcitelianto tickle
4Old Norsekitlato tickle
5Proto-Germanickitilōnąto tickle
6Proto-Germanickitōnąto tickle
7Proto-Indo-Europeangeid-to stick, jab, tickle; tickle; to tickle, stick
Every word from Proto-Indo-European geid- →