Where does “naughty” come from?
Naughty comes from Middle English naughty, meaning disobedient or wicked, derived from naught meaning nothing or worthlessness.
naughty (English): Mischievous; tending to misbehave or act badly;...
Definitions
- Mischievous; tending to misbehave or act badly;...
Ancestry of “naughty”, step by step
naughty traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English naughty
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | naughty | — |
via Middle English nauȝty
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | nauȝty | — |
via Middle English nauȝti
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | nauȝti | — |