Where does “overslight” come from?
overslight (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-.
overslight (English): Excessively slight
Definitions
- Excessively slight
Ancestry of “overslight”, step by step
overslight traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English over
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | over | Discontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;... |
| 2 | Middle English | over | riverbank, seashore, brink |
| 3 | Old English | ōfer | riverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | obar | over, above |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | uber | over; over, above |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |
via English slight
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | slight | Small; of slender build; Even, smooth or level |
| 2 | Middle English | slight | Level, even, smooth; having no bumps or lumps; Of... |
| 3 | Old English | sliht | level; smooth; a striking; a stroke; flash |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | slihtaz | slippery; smooth; flat; level |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | slīkaną | to slide, to slip |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sleyǵ- | to glide, smooth, spread; to smear; to creep; to... |