Where does “knavish” come from?
Knavish derives from Middle English -isch and Old English -isċ combined with Proto-Germanic knabô, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -iskos, a suffix forming adjectives of quality or character.
knavish (English): Having the characteristics of a knave;...
Definitions
- Having the characteristics of a knave;...
Ancestry of “knavish”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ish | Typical of, similar to, being like; Somewhat,... |
| 2 | Middle English | -ish | Alternative form of -yssh |
| 3 | Old English | -isċ | -ish |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | -isk | Creates adjectives from nouns |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -iskaz | Forms adjectives from nouns with the sense of... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -iskos | Characteristic of, typical of, pertaining to |