Where does “puss in a bag” come from?
puss in a bag (English) comes from English A, from English AND, from Middle English and, from Old English and, from Proto-Germanic andi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- — on, onto.
puss in a bag (English): A pig in a poke
Definitions
- A pig in a poke
Ancestry of “puss in a bag”, step by step
puss in a bag traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English A
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | A | The ordinal number first, derived from this... |
| 2 | English | AND | Alternative form of ∧, the conjunction operator;... |
| 3 | Middle English | and | and, and then; however, yet, but, though. while;... |
| 4 | Old English | and | and; even; also |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | andi | in addition, furthermore, and |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énti | opposite; near; in front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |
via English puss
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | puss | A cat; A girl or young woman, or any child; A... |
| 2 | Middle High German | pūse | — |
| 3 | Middle French | pause | pause (brief cessation) |
| 4 | Latin | pausa | a pause, halt, stop, cessation, end |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | παῦσις | stopping, ceasing |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | -σῐς | "suffix forming nouns" |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | -τις | retained after dentals |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -tis | Derives abstract/action nouns from verb roots |