Where does “pretty” come from?
Pretty comes from Middle English prety, from Old English prættiġ, from Proto-Germanic prattugaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -kos.
pretty (English): Pleasant to the sight or other senses;...
Definitions
- Pleasant to the sight or other senses;...
Ancestry of “pretty”, step by step
pretty traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English prety
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | prety | — |
| 2 | Old English | prættiġ | tricky, crafty, sly, cunning, wily, astute |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | prattugaz | boastful, sly, slick, deceitful, tricky, cunning |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | -gaz | -y |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -ḱos | -y, -ic |
via Sanskrit प्रीति
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Sanskrit | प्रीति | any pleasurable sensation, pleasure, joy,... |
| 2 | Sanskrit | प्री | to please, gladden, delight, gratify, cheer, comfort |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | preyH- | to love, to please |
Words derived from “pretty”