Where does “roughishness” come from?

roughishness (English) comes from English roughish, from English rough, from English ruff, from German Ruf, from Middle High German ruof, from Old High German ruof, from Old High German ruofan, from Proto-West Germanic hrōpan — army.

roughishness (English): Slight roughness

Definitions

  1. Slight roughness

Ancestry of “roughishness”, step by step

roughishness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English roughish

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishroughishSomewhat rough
2EnglishroughNot smooth; uneven; Approximate; hasty or...
3EnglishruffA circular frill or ruffle on a garment,...
4GermanRufcall; reputation
5Middle High Germanruof
6Old High Germanruof
7Old High Germanruofanto call
8Proto-West Germanichrōpanto cry out, to call, to shout
9Proto-Germanichrōpanąto cry out, call, shout
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
11Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
12Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn 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
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker-Every word from Proto-Indo-European kr̥-Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱer-
roughishness — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer