Where does “shit” come from?
Shit derives from Middle English schiten, from Old English scītan, from Proto-Germanic skītaz, from Proto-Indo-European sḱeyd-, ultimately from the root sek- meaning to cut or separate.
shit (English): Solid excretory product evacuated from the...
Definitions
- Solid excretory product evacuated from the...
Ancestry of “shit”, step by step
shit traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle Dutch schite
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | schite | — |
| 2 | Old Dutch | skīta | — |
| 3 | Old Saxon | skiti | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | skītaz | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱeyd- | to shade; to cut off; to part with, separate, cut... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱēy- | to shine; to shimmer; shadow; luster, gloss,... |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | skaidą | separation, distinction |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | skÁit- | to cut, part, spearate, divide; to cut, part,... |
via Persian شيت
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Persian | شيت | — |