Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nix” come from?

Nix derives from German nix, which comes from German nichts, Old High German nichus, Proto-Germanic nikwus, and Proto-Indo-European neygʷ-, meaning to deny or negate.

nix (English): Nothing; To make something become nothing; to...

Definitions

  1. Nothing; To make something become nothing; to...

Ancestry of “nix”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermannixAlternative form of nichts; no way!
2Germannichtsnothing
3Middle High Germannihtes nihtnothing of nothing
4Old High Germanniowiht—
5Old High Germannionever
6Old High Germanioalways
7Proto-West Germanicaiwlong time, age, eternity; law
8Proto-Germanicaiwazlong time, age, eternity
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eyu-vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ey-vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning

Words derived from “nix”

  • ixnay
  • nixer
  • eighty-six
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey- →