Where does “prickishness” come from?
prickishness (English) comes from English prickish, from English prick, from Middle English prikken, from Old English prician, from Old English -ian, from Old English -ōjan, from Proto-West Germanic -ōn, from Proto-Germanic -ōną — he, she.
Ancestry of “prickishness”, step by step
prickishness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English prickish
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | prickish | having the characteristics of a prick; being... |
| 2 | English | prick | A small hole or perforation, caused by piercing;... |
| 3 | Middle English | prikken | to prick, pierce |
| 4 | Old English | prician | to prick |
| 5 | Old English | -ian | Forms verbs from nouns and adjectives |
| 6 | Old English | -ōjan | — |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | -ōn | Creates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates... |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | -ōną | Creates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -eh₂yéti | Creates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 12 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |
via English Ness
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ness | An Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa |
| 2 | Middle English | nesse | — |
| 3 | Old English | næs | not, not at all; not; first/third-person singular... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | nasją | foothill; headland; cape |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂s | nose |