Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “semidarkness” come from?

semidarkness (English) comes from English darkness, from Middle English derknesse, from Old English deorcnes, from Old English -nes, from Proto-West Germanic -nassī, from Proto-Germanic -inassuz, from Proto-West Germanic -ī, from Proto-Germanic -į̄ — Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...

semidarkness (English): Partial or near darkness, dimness, twilight

Definitions

  1. Partial or near darkness, dimness, twilight

Ancestry of “semidarkness”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdarknessThe state of being dark; lack of light; Gloom;...
2Middle Englishderknessedarkness
3Old Englishdeorcnesdarkness, obscurity
4Old English-nesUsed to form abstract nouns, usually from...
5Proto-West Germanic-nassīUsed to form abstract nouns, usually from...
6Proto-Germanic-inassuz-ness
7Proto-West Germanic-ī-ness, -th
8Proto-Germanic-į̄-th
9Proto-Indo-European-íh₂—
10Proto-Indo-European-h₂Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -h₂ →