Where does “pithy” come from?
Pithy derives from English pith plus the English suffix -y, which comes from Middle French -ie, Latin -ia, Latin -ivus, Latin -ia, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European -kos.
pithy (English): Concise and meaningful; Of, like, or abounding in...
Definitions
- Concise and meaningful; Of, like, or abounding in...
Ancestry of “pithy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pith | The soft, spongy substance in the center of the... |
| 2 | English | helmet | A protective head covering, usually part of... |
| 3 | Middle English | helmet | A helmet; an armoured piece of headgear |
| 4 | Old French | helmet | — |
| 5 | Old French | helme | helmet |
| 6 | Medieval Latin | helmus | helmet |
| 7 | Frankish | helm | helmet |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | helmaz | helmet |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | halmaz | halm; stem; stalk; straw; hay |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱolh₂mos | stalk |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱelh₂- | to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab |