Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nuts” come from?

Nuts comes from Middle English nute, Old French note, and Latin nota, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European newd- meaning to know or perceive.

nuts (English): plural of nut; Testicles; An unbeatable hand; the...

Definitions

  1. plural of nut; Testicles; An unbeatable hand; the...

Ancestry of “nuts”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishnutA hard-shelled seed; A piece of metal, usually...
2Middle Englishnute—
3Old Englishhnutunut
4Proto-West Germanichnutnut
5Proto-Germanichnutsnut
6Proto-Indo-Europeanknew-to scrape; scratch; rub; to scratch; scrape; rub
7Proto-Indo-Europeanken-to arise, begin

Words derived from “nuts”

  • nerd
  • nerdy
  • nerdiness
  • nutso
  • nerdish
  • numbnuts
  • nutsy
  • nerdly
  • Nertz
  • nerdishness
  • nerdily
  • nerdhood
  • technonerd
  • nerdism
  • nerts
  • nerdlike
  • nutzoid
  • nutsiness
  • nerdling
  • nerdspeak
  • nerdishly
  • supernerd
  • nerdom
  • nerdette
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ken- →