Where does “shiftless” come from?
Shiftless derives from Middle English schiften and Old English -lēas, combining Proto-Germanic skiftijaną and lausaz, which trace back through Proto-Indo-European lewH- and skeyb- to sek-.
shiftless (English): lazy, unmotivated; untrustworthy as a result of...
Definitions
- lazy, unmotivated; untrustworthy as a result of...
Ancestry of “shiftless”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Shift | A modifier key whose main function is shifting... |
| 2 | Middle English | schiften | To split, cut up, sunder; To share out,... |
| 3 | Old English | sċiftan | to divide, separate into shares; appoint, ordain;... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | skiftijaną | To put in order; organise; arrange |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | skipatjaną | to organise, put in order |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | skēyb- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱēy- | to shine; to shimmer; shadow; luster, gloss,... |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | skaidą | separation, distinction |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | skÁit- | to cut, part, spearate, divide; to cut, part,... |