Where does “misfit” come from?
Misfit derives from English mis- (prefix meaning badly or wrongly) combined with fit, which comes from Old English fitt, ultimately traceable to Proto-Indo-European roots expressing the concept of joining or measuring.
misfit (English): An ill-fitting garment; A failure to fit well;...
Definitions
- An ill-fitting garment; A failure to fit well;...
Ancestry of “misfit”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | fit | Suitable, proper; Adapted to a purpose or... |
| 2 | English | outfit | A set of clothing; Gear consisting of a set of... |
| 3 | English | out | Away from the inside, centre or other point of... |
| 4 | Middle English | oute | out |
| 5 | Old English | ūt | out |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | *ūt | out, outward |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | ūt | out, outward |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | úd | out, outward |