Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nerts” come from?

nerts (English) comes from English nuts, from English nut, from Middle English nute, from Old English hnutu, from Proto-West Germanic hnut, from Proto-Germanic hnuts, from Proto-Indo-European knew-, from Proto-Indo-European ken- — to arise, begin.

nerts (English): Crazy; nuts; Nuts! Expression of dismay

Definitions

  1. Crazy; nuts; Nuts! Expression of dismay

Ancestry of “nerts”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishnutsplural of nut; Testicles; An unbeatable hand; the...
2EnglishnutA hard-shelled seed; A piece of metal, usually...
3Middle Englishnute—
4Old Englishhnutunut
5Proto-West Germanichnutnut
6Proto-Germanichnutsnut
7Proto-Indo-Europeanknew-to scrape; scratch; rub; to scratch; scrape; rub
8Proto-Indo-Europeanken-to arise, begin

Words derived from “nerts”

  • nerd
  • nerdy
  • nerdiness
  • nerdish
  • nerdly
  • Nertz
  • nerdishness
  • nerdily
  • nerdhood
  • technonerd
  • nerdism
  • nerdlike
  • nerdling
  • nerdspeak
  • nerdishly
  • supernerd
  • nerdom
  • nerdette
  • cybernerd
  • nerdo
  • Nerdic
  • nerdsome
  • nerdwear
  • seminerd
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ken- →