Where does “microclue” come from?

microclue (English) comes from English clue, from English clew, from Middle English clew, from Old English clēowen, from Proto-Germanic kliuwiną, from Proto-Indo-European glew-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.

microclue (English): A tiny clue

Definitions

  1. A tiny clue

Ancestry of “microclue”, step by step

microclue traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English clue

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishclueA strand of yarn etc. as used to guide one...
2EnglishclewA roughly spherical mass or body; A ball of...
3Middle EnglishclewAlternative form of clewe
4Old Englishclēowen
5Proto-Germanickliuwiną
6Proto-Indo-Europeanglew-Alternative form of *gley-; to amass,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow

via English micro

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmicroSmall, relatively small; short form of...
2Ancient Greekμικρόςlittle, small
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmēy-soft, tender, dear
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel-