Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nipcheese” come from?

nipcheese (English) comes from English NIP, from English nipperkin, from Middle Dutch nipen, from Old Dutch nīpen, from Proto-Germanic *hnīpan, from Proto-Germanic hnīpaną, from Proto-Indo-European kneybʰ-.

nipcheese (English): A purser in the navy; A stingy person

Definitions

  1. A purser in the navy; A stingy person

Ancestry of “nipcheese”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNIPAbbreviation of non-native invasive plant;...
2EnglishnipperkinA small cup or other vessel, of perhaps 1/8 pint...
3Middle Dutchnipento pinch, to squeeze
4Old Dutchnīpen—
5Proto-Germanic*hnīpan—
6Proto-Germanichnīpanąto pinch, to squeeze
7Proto-Indo-Europeankneybʰ-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kneybʰ- →