Where does “meanie” come from?
meanie (English) comes from English mean, from Middle English menen, from Old French mener, from Latin minō, from Latin mina, from Gaulish mēnā, from Proto-Celtic *meinis, from Proto-Indo-European mēy(H)nis — to cut, hew.
meanie (English): A mean person; a killjoy; A villain
Definitions
- A mean person; a killjoy; A villain
Ancestry of “meanie”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mean | To intend |
| 2 | Middle English | menen | to intend, to mean to indicate or signify; to... |
| 3 | Old French | mener | to lead |
| 4 | Latin | minō | to drive or goad (animals) |
| 5 | Latin | mina | A Greek weight equal to 100 drachmas; A Greek... |
| 6 | Gaulish | mēnā | ore, mine |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | *meinis | ore, metal |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | mēy(H)nis | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)mēy(H)- | to cut, hew |