Where does “overserious” come from?

overserious (English) comes from English serious, from Middle English seryows, from Old French serieux, from Medieval Latin seriosus, from Latin sērius, from Latin sērus, from Proto-Italic swerjos, from Proto-Indo-European swer-yo-s — to ache; to fester; wound; injury.

overserious (English): Excessively serious

Definitions

  1. Excessively serious

Ancestry of “overserious”, step by step

overserious traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English serious

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishseriousWithout humor or expression of happiness; grave...
2Middle Englishseryows—
3Old Frenchserieux—
4Medieval Latinseriosusserious
5Latinsēriusgrave; earnest; serious
6Latinsēruslate, too late
7Proto-Italicswerjos—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanswer-yo-s—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanswer-to ache; to fester; wound; injury

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-—

Words derived from “overserious”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European swer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European swer-yo-s →Every word from Proto-Italic swerjos →