Where does “showpiece” come from?
showpiece (English) comes from English piece, from Middle English pece, from Old French piece, from Vulgar Latin pettia, from Latin pettia, from Gaulish pettyā, from Proto-Celtic kʷezdis — piece, portion.
showpiece (English): Something that exhibits exceptional quality,...
Definitions
- Something that exhibits exceptional quality,...
Ancestry of “showpiece”, step by step
showpiece traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English piece
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | piece | A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form... |
| 2 | Middle English | pece | piece; morsel; bit |
| 3 | Old French | piece | piece, bit, part; circa 1170, Chrétien de Troyes |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | pettia | piece, portion |
| 5 | Latin | pettia | piece, portion |
| 6 | Gaulish | pettyā | — |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | kʷezdis | piece, portion |