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
- That which was done that should not have been,...
Ancestry of “misdeed”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | misdede | — |
| 2 | Old English | misdǣd | misdeed |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | missadēdiz | misdeed, wrongful act |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | dēdiz | deed, act; doing, able to do, active |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰéh₁tis | act of putting, placement |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰeh₁- | to do, put, place |