Where does “monkeyshine” come from?
monkeyshine (English) comes from English shine, from Middle English shinen, from Old English sċīnan, from Proto-West Germanic skīnan, from Proto-Germanic skīnaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱeh₁y- — to shine, shimmer.
monkeyshine (English): A puerile trick or prank
Ancestry of “monkeyshine”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | shine | To emit light; To reflect light; To distinguish... |
| 2 | Middle English | shinen | Alternative form of schinen |
| 3 | Old English | sċīnan | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | skīnan | to shine; to appear |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | skīnaną | to shine; to appear |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ḱeh₁y- | to shine, shimmer |