Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nodding” come from?

Nodding comes from Middle English nodden, Old English hnodian, Proto-Germanic hnudōną, and Proto-Indo-European knḍʰ-, ultimately from the root Proto-Indo-European ken-.

nodding (English): present participle of nod; The act by which one...

Definitions

  1. present participle of nod; The act by which one...

Ancestry of “nodding”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishnodTo incline the head up and down, as to indicate...
2Middle Englishnodden—
3Old Englishhnodianto nod, shake the head
4Proto-GermanichnudōnąTo pound; hammer; rivet
5Proto-Indo-Europeankendʰ-—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanken-to arise, begin

Words derived from “nodding”

  • noddingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ken- →