Where does “pat” come from?

Pat comes from Middle English patten, which derives from Middle English platten, from Old English plættan, from Proto-Germanic platjaną, from Proto-Indo-European b(e)lad-.

pat (English): The sound of a light slap or tap with a soft flat...

Definitions

  1. The sound of a light slap or tap with a soft flat...

Ancestry of “pat”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishpatten—
2Middle Englishplattento strike with the hand; to slap
3Old Englishplættanto buffet; smack; to give a sounding blow
4Proto-Germanicplatjanąto strike, beat
5Proto-Indo-European*blod-—

Words derived from “pat”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European *blod- →
pat — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer