Where does “shabbyish” come from?
shabbyish (English) comes from English shabby, from English shab, from Middle English shabbe, from Old English sċeabb, from Proto-Germanic *skabb, from Proto-Germanic skabbaz, from Proto-Indo-European skÀbʰ- — to scratch, scrape.
shabbyish (English): Somewhat shabby
Definitions
- Somewhat shabby
Ancestry of “shabbyish”, step by step
shabbyish traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English shabby
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | shabby | Torn or worn; unkempt; Clothed with ragged, much... |
| 2 | English | shab | Scabies; A scab; To scratch; to rub |
| 3 | Middle English | shabbe | — |
| 4 | Old English | sċeabb | scab |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *skabb | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | skabbaz | scab; scabies, mange |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | skÀbʰ- | to scratch, scrape |
via English ish
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ish | Pronunciation spelling of is; somewhat,... |
| 2 | English | -ish | Typical of, similar to, being like; Somewhat,... |
| 3 | Middle English | -ish | Alternative form of -yssh |
| 4 | Old English | -isċ | -ish |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | -isk | Creates adjectives from nouns |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -iskaz | Forms adjectives from nouns with the sense of... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -iskos | Characteristic of, typical of, pertaining to |