Where does “ruffianism” come from?
ruffianism (English) comes from English ruffian, from Middle French rufian, from Italian ruffiano, from Italian roffia, from Old High German hrŭf, from Proto-Germanic hreubaz, from Proto-Indo-European kreup- — scab, crust.
ruffianism (English): The behaviour of a ruffian
Definitions
- The behaviour of a ruffian
Ancestry of “ruffianism”, step by step
ruffianism traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English ruffian
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ruffian | A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful,... |
| 2 | Middle French | rufian | — |
| 3 | Italian | ruffiano | pander, procurer, pimp; bootlicker; sycophant |
| 4 | Italian | roffia | scraps of tanned leather |
| 5 | Old High German | hrŭf | eschar, crust |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | hreubaz | rough, crusty, scabby |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kreup- | scab, crust |
via English ism
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ism | An ideology, system of thought, or practice that... |
| 2 | English | -ism | Used to form nouns of action or process or result... |
| 3 | Latin | -ismus | -ism |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -ισμός | Forms abstract nouns |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -μός | Forms abstract nouns |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -mós | Creates action/result nouns from verb stems |