Where does “nightshade” come from?
Nightshade comes from Middle English nyȝtschade, from Old English nihtsċada, a compound of uncertain ultimate origin and meaning.
nightshade (English): Any of the poisonous plants belonging to the...
Definitions
- Any of the poisonous plants belonging to the...
Ancestry of “nightshade”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | nyȝtschade | nightshade |
| 2 | Middle English | nyght | Alternative form of nighte; Alternative form of... |
| 3 | Middle English | nighte | night |
| 4 | Old English | nyht | Alternative form of niht |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | naht | night |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | nahts | night |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | nókʷts | night |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | negʷ- | bare, naked |