Where does “shrewish” come from?
Shrewish comes from Middle English -isch combined with Old English scrēawa, itself derived from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- meaning to cut or turn.
shrewish (English): Of or pertaining to a shrew; Bad-tempered;...
Definitions
- Of or pertaining to a shrew; Bad-tempered;...
Ancestry of “shrewish”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | shrew | Any of numerous small, mouselike, chiefly... |
| 2 | Middle English | schrewen | To curse |
| 3 | Middle English | schrewe | barn mouse, shrew, evil person |
| 4 | Old English | sċrēawa | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | skrawwaz | thin; meagre; frail |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱer- | to caw, crow |
Words derived from “shrewish”