Where does “quirky” come from?
Quirky derives from quirk plus the Middle English suffix -y, which comes from Middle French -ie, itself from Latin -ia used to form adjectives from Latin -ivus adjective-forming suffix, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -kos.
quirky (English): Given to quirks or idiosyncrasies; strange in a...
Definitions
- Given to quirks or idiosyncrasies; strange in a...
Ancestry of “quirky”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Quirk | An idiosyncrasy; a slight glitch, a mannerism; something unusual about the manner or style of something or someone |
| 2 | English | querk | To throttle; choke; stifle; suffocate; To grunt;... |
| 3 | Middle English | querken | — |
| 4 | Old Norse | kvirkja | to strangle |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | kwirkijaną | to strangle |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | kwerkō | throat |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷerh₃- | to swallow, devour, eat |