Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “machismo” come from?

Machismo comes from Spanish machismo, formed from Spanish macho (from Latin masculus, diminutive of meryo- meaning "male") plus the Spanish suffix -ismo.

machismo (English): exaggerated masculinity

Definitions

  1. exaggerated masculinity

Ancestry of “machismo”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishmachismosexism, misogyny, male chauvinism
2Spanishmachomale; strong, brave; sledgehammer
3Old Spanishmaslo—
4Vulgar LatinmasclusAlternative form of masculus; male
5Latinmasculusmale, masculine; man, male
6Latinmās—
7Proto-Nuristani*māsa—
8Proto-Indo-Iranianmā́Hasmoon; month
9Proto-Indo-Europeanmḗh₁n̥smoon; month
10Proto-Indo-Europeanmeh₁-to measure

Words derived from “machismo”

  • machoism
Every word from Proto-Indo-European meh₁- →