Where does “lackaday” come from?
lackaday (English) comes from English alack, from Middle English alacke, from English ah, from Chinese 阿, from English aren’t, from English -n’t, from English Not, from Middle English not — vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,...
Ancestry of “lackaday”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | alack | An expression of sorrow or mourning |
| 2 | Middle English | alacke | — |
| 3 | English | ah | An expression of relief, relaxation, comfort,... |
| 4 | Chinese | 阿 | — |
| 5 | English | aren’t | are not (negative auxiliary) |
| 6 | English | -n’t | — |
| 7 | English | Not | — |
| 8 | Middle English | not | not; nothing, nought; nobody, no person |
| 9 | Middle English | nought | nothing, none; not; iniquitous, wicked |
| 10 | Old English | nōwiht | — |
| 11 | Old English | ne | not; or, and not; "ne... ne..." is used to mean "... |
| 12 | Proto-West Germanic | *ne | — |
| 13 | Proto-Germanic | nē | not |
| 14 | Proto-Germanic | aiwaz | long time, age, eternity |
| 15 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyu- | vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,... |