Where does “semi-funny” come from?

semi-funny (English) comes from English funny, from English -y, from Middle English -y, from Old English -iġ, from Proto-West Germanic -g, from Proto-Germanic -gaz, from Proto-Indo-European -ḱos — -y, -ic.

semi-funny (English): Partially funny

Definitions

  1. Partially funny

Ancestry of “semi-funny”, step by step

semi-funny traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English funny

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfunnyAmusing; humorous; comical; Strange or unusual,...
2English-yAdded to nouns and adjectives to form adjectives...
3Middle English-yDesignates an adjective, in many cases formed by...
4Old English-iġ-y, -ic
5Proto-West Germanic-gForms adjectives from nouns and verbs with a...
6Proto-Germanic-gaz-y
7Proto-Indo-European-ḱos-y, -ic

via English semi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsemiA semi-detached house; A semitrailer; a...
2Englishsemi-half; partial, incomplete; somewhat, rather,...
3Latinsēmi-half
4Proto-Indo-Europeansēmihalf; partially
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -ḱosEvery word from English -yEvery word from Old English -iġ