Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “shrimpy” come from?

shrimpy (English) comes from English shrimp, from Middle English schrimpe, from Proto-Germanic skrimpaz, from Proto-Germanic skrimpaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kerbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-, from Proto-Indo-European sek- — to cut, cut off, sever.

shrimpy (English): Resembling or characteristic of shrimp;...

Definitions

  1. Resembling or characteristic of shrimp;...

Ancestry of “shrimpy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshrimpAny of many swimming, often edible crustaceans,...
2Middle Englishschrimpeshrimp, puny person
3Proto-Germanicskrimpazshrivelled
4Proto-Germanicskrimpanąto contract, to shrink
5Proto-Indo-European(s)kerbʰ-to turn, curve; to turn , wind; to turn around,...
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
7Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

Words derived from “shrimpy”

  • shrimpiness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →