Where does “pygmyish” come from?
pygmyish (English) comes from English ish, from English -ish, from Middle English -ish, from Old English -isċ, from Proto-West Germanic -isk, from Proto-Germanic -iskaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iskos — Characteristic of, typical of, pertaining to.
pygmyish (English): Like a pygmy; dwarfish
Definitions
- Like a pygmy; dwarfish
Ancestry of “pygmyish”, step by step
pygmyish traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English ish
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ish | Pronunciation spelling of is; somewhat,... |
| 2 | English | -ish | Typical of, similar to, being like; Somewhat,... |
| 3 | Middle English | -ish | Alternative form of -yssh |
| 4 | Old English | -isċ | -ish |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | -isk | Creates adjectives from nouns |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -iskaz | Forms adjectives from nouns with the sense of... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -iskos | Characteristic of, typical of, pertaining to |
via English pygmy
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pygmy | A member of one of various Ancient Equatorial... |
| 2 | Latin | Pygmaei | a mythical race of pygmies |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | πυγμαῖος | mythical dwarf; a member of a race of dwarves |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -αῖος | Suffix added to nouns or adjectives, forming adjectives: pertaining to, belonging to ("of") |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -ῐος | belonging to; of”, “belonging to”, “pertaining to |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -yós | Creates adjectives from noun or verb stems |