Where does “shenanigans” come from?
Shenanigans derives from English shenanigan plus the English plural suffix -s, with shenanigan itself tracing through Middle English -s, Old French -esse, and Proto-Indo-European -iskos and -ēs elements whose original meanings remain uncertain.
shenanigans (English): Mischievous play, especially by children;...
Definitions
- Mischievous play, especially by children;...
Ancestry of “shenanigans”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | -s | Used to form regular plurals of nouns; Used to... |
| 2 | Middle English | -es | Alternative form of -yssh; Alternative form of... |
| 3 | Old English | -es | possessive marker, indicating that an object... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | -as | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -ēs | Primarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -ess | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -os | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;... |