Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “misstep” come from?

Misstep comes from Middle English mis- combined with step, with mis- deriving from Proto-Indo-European mey- meaning to change or go.

misstep (English): A step that is wrong, a false step; An error or...

Definitions

  1. A step that is wrong, a false step; An error or...

Ancestry of “misstep”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstepAn advance or movement made from one foot to the...
2EnglishstepchildThe child of one's spouse but not one's own; A...
3Middle Englishstepchild—
4Old Englishstēopċildstepchild
5Old Englishċildchild, youth; fetus; female baby; child
6Proto-Germanickelþazfetus; newborn; infant; child
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵelt-womb
8Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- →