Where does “mermaidlike” come from?
mermaidlike (English) comes from English like, from Dutch luik, from Middle Dutch luke, from Dutch luiken, from Middle Dutch luken, from Old Dutch lūcan, from Proto-West Germanic lūkan, from Proto-Germanic lūkaną — to break, tear; to break, shatter.
mermaidlike (English): Resembling or characteristic of a mermaid
Definitions
- Resembling or characteristic of a mermaid
Ancestry of “mermaidlike”, step by step
mermaidlike traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English like
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | like | To enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of;... |
| 2 | Dutch | luik | hatch; shutter; panel, as in a triptych |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | luke | — |
| 4 | Dutch | luiken | to close, to shut |
| 5 | Middle Dutch | luken | to close, to shut; to close, to become closed |
| 6 | Old Dutch | lūcan | to close, shut |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | lūkan | to close, to shut |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | lūkaną | to close, to shut; Alternative form of *leukaną |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | lewǵ- | to break, tear; to break, shatter |
via English mermaid
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mermaid | A mythological creature with a woman's head and... |
| 2 | Middle English | mermayde | mermaid |
| 3 | Middle English | mere | mare; mother; sea, lake |
| 4 | Old English | mere | lake; pool; sea |
| 5 | Old English | byriġ | — |
| 6 | Old English | burh | Alternative form of burg; fortress; hill |
| 7 | Old English | burg | city; town; a fortified place: stronghold, fort,... |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | burgz | fortification, stronghold; city |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰr̥ǵʰ- | — |