Where does “nest” come from?
Nest comes from Middle English nest, from Old English nest, from Old English nīehst, from Proto-Indo-European nisdós, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁én meaning to sit.
nest (English): A structure built by a bird as a place to...
Definitions
- A structure built by a bird as a place to...
Ancestry of “nest”, step by step
nest traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English nest
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | nest | nest |
| 2 | Old English | nēst | nest |
| 3 | Old English | nīehst | nearest, next |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | **nāhwist(ō) | nearest, closest |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | nēhwist | nearest, closest |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | nēhw | near, close |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | nēhwaz | near, close |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂nḗḱwos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂neḱ- | to reach, to attain |