Where does “plainspoken” come from?
plainspoken (English) comes from English plain, from Middle English pleyn, from Anglo-Norman pleyn, from Old French playn, from Old French plain, from Latin plēnus, from Proto-Italic plēnos, from Proto-Indo-European pl̥h₁nós — to fill.
plainspoken (English): Speaking plainly or simply
Definitions
- Speaking plainly or simply
Ancestry of “plainspoken”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | plain | Flat, level; Simple; Obvious |
| 2 | Middle English | pleyn | clear; unambiguous |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | pleyn | Alternative form of plein |
| 4 | Old French | playn | — |
| 5 | Old French | plain | full; plain; flat |
| 6 | Latin | plēnus | — |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | plēnos | full |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pl̥h₁nós | full |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pleh₁- | to fill |
Words derived from “plainspoken”