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
- The sound of a light slap or tap with a soft flat...
Ancestry of “pat”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | patten | — |
| 2 | Middle English | platten | to strike with the hand; to slap |
| 3 | Old English | plættan | to buffet; smack; to give a sounding blow |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | platjaną | to strike, beat |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | *blod- | — |