Where does “nit” come from?

Nit comes from Latin nitere, a verb derived from Latin nitor meaning "to shine," with the suffix Latin -or, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱ(o)nid- and Proto-Indo-European -ōs.

nit (English): The egg of a louse; A young louse; A head louse...

Definitions

  1. The egg of a louse; A young louse; A head louse...

Ancestry of “nit”, step by step

nit traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin nitere

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinniteresecond-person singular future active indicative...
2LatinniteoI am radiant, shine, look bright, glitter,...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanney-to shine; to be aroused, shine; to be excited
4Cebuano-hi—

via Middle English nite

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishnite—
2Old Englishhnitunit
3Proto-Germanichnitsnit, louse egg
4Proto-Indo-European*-níd-nit, louse egg

Words derived from “nit”

Every word from Cebuano -hi →