Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “mermaidish” come from?

mermaidish (English) comes from English mermaid, from Middle English mermayde, from Middle English mere, from Old English mere, from Old English byriġ, from Old English burh, from Old English burg, from Proto-Germanic burgz.

mermaidish (English): Resembling or characteristic of a mermaid

Definitions

  1. Resembling or characteristic of a mermaid

Ancestry of “mermaidish”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmermaidA mythological creature with a woman's head and...
2Middle Englishmermaydemermaid
3Middle Englishmeremare; mother; sea, lake
4Old Englishmerelake; pool; sea
5Old Englishbyriġ—
6Old EnglishburhAlternative form of burg; fortress; hill
7Old Englishburgcity; town; a fortified place: stronghold, fort,...
8Proto-Germanicburgzfortification, stronghold; city
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰr̥ǵʰ-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰr̥ǵʰ- →