Where does “shady” come from?
Shady comes from Middle English schade, influenced by Middle French -ie and Latin -ia endings derived from Latin -ivus, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European -kos.
shady (English): Abounding in shades; Causing shade; Overspread...
Definitions
- Abounding in shades; Causing shade; Overspread...
Ancestry of “shady”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | shade | Darkness where light, particularly sunlight, is... |
| 2 | Middle English | schade | A shadow or a similar effect; A shade or... |
| 3 | Old English | sċeadu | shadow, shade; darkness; protection |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | skadu | shadow |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | skaduz | a shadow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ḱeh₃- | darkness, shadow |