Where does “overclever” come from?

overclever (English) comes from English over, from Middle English over, from Old English ōfer, from Proto-West Germanic obar, from Proto-Germanic uber, from Proto-Indo-European upér, from Proto-Indo-European upó, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-.

overclever (English): Excessively clever

Definitions

  1. Excessively clever

Ancestry of “overclever”, step by step

overclever traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English over

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoverDiscontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;...
2Middle Englishoverriverbank, seashore, brink
3Old Englishōferriverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border
4Proto-West Germanicobarover, above
5Proto-Germanicuberover; over, above
6Proto-Indo-Europeanupérabove; over
7Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-—

via English clever

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcleverNimble with hands or body; skillful; adept;...
2Middle Englishclivertenacious
3Old Englishcliferclaw, hand
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp- →