Where does “knock-knock joke” come from?
knock-knock joke (English) comes from English joke, from Latin iocus, from Proto-Italic jokos, from Proto-Indo-European yokos, from Proto-Indo-European yek- — to utter.
knock-knock joke (English): One of a class of childish jokes told as a...
Definitions
- One of a class of childish jokes told as a...
Ancestry of “knock-knock joke”, step by step
knock-knock joke traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English joke
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | joke | An amusing story; Something said or done for... |
| 2 | Latin | iocus | a joke, jest; a form of amusement; pastime, sport |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | jokos | word, saying |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | yokos | word, utterance |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | yek- | to utter |
via English knock-knock
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | knock-knock | attributive form of knock knock; a verbal... |