Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “paddywhack” come from?

paddywhack (English) comes from English paxwax, from Middle English faxwax, from Middle English waxen, from Middle English -en, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz — adjectival suffix.

paddywhack (English): An Irishman; A blow; a slap; A strong elastic...

Definitions

  1. An Irishman; A blow; a slap; A strong elastic...

Ancestry of “paddywhack”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpaxwaxA strong ligament of the back of the neck in...
2Middle Englishfaxwax—
3Middle Englishwaxen—
4Middle English-enDenotes the past participle form when attached to...
5Old English-enmæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;...
6Old Norse-innUsed to create adjectives from nouns, meaning...
7Proto-Norse-īna-—
8Proto-Germanic-īnaz-en
9Proto-Indo-European-iHnosCreates adjectives of materials
10Proto-Indo-European-no-adjectival suffix

Words derived from “paddywhack”

  • paddywhackery
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -no- →