Where does “misdeed” come from?

Misdeed comes from Middle English misdede, from Old English misdǣd, from Proto-Germanic missadēdiz, combining Proto-Germanic dēdiz (deed) and mey- (wrong) ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁- (to put or place).

misdeed (English): That which was done that should not have been,...

Definitions

  1. That which was done that should not have been,...

Ancestry of “misdeed”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishmisdede—
2Old Englishmisdǣdmisdeed
3Proto-Germanicmissadēdizmisdeed, wrongful act
4Proto-Germanicdēdizdeed, act; doing, able to do, active
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰéh₁tisact of putting, placement
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰeh₁-to do, put, place

Words derived from “misdeed”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰéh₁tis →Every word from Proto-Germanic dēdiz →