Where does “pettywhin” come from?
pettywhin (English) comes from English petty, from Middle English peti, from Middle French Petit, from Old French petit, from Gallo-Romance pitittus.
pettywhin (English): The needle furze
Ancestry of “pettywhin”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | petty | Little, small, secondary in rank or importance;... |
| 2 | Middle English | peti | Alternative form of pety |
| 3 | Middle French | Petit | — |
| 4 | Old French | petit | small, little; worthless; valueless; poor; of... |
| 5 | Gallo-Romance | pitittus | — |