Where does “plightful” come from?

plightful (English) comes from English plight, from Middle English plight, from Old English pliht, from Proto-West Germanic plihti, from Proto-West Germanic plehan — to stand up for; to be responsible for.

plightful (English): Full of risk or danger; risky; dangerous;...

Definitions

  1. Full of risk or danger; risky; dangerous;...

Ancestry of “plightful”, step by step

plightful traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English plight

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishplightA dire or unfortunate situation; A condition or...
2Middle Englishplightrisk, danger; risky promise, peril
3Old Englishplihtdanger, risk
4Proto-West Germanicplihticare, maintenance, diligence; responsibility,...
5Proto-West Germanicplehanto stand up for; to be responsible for

via English ful

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishful

via Middle English plightful

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishplightful
Every word from Proto-West Germanic plehan
plightful — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer