Where does “shy” come from?

Shy comes from Old English sċēoh, from Proto-Germanic skeuhaz, from Proto-Indo-European skewkós, a root meaning to turn away or avoid.

shy (English): Easily frightened; timid; Reserved; disinclined...

Definitions

  1. Easily frightened; timid; Reserved; disinclined...

Ancestry of “shy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishshyshy
2Old Englishsċēohshy
3Proto-West Germanicskeuhfrightened, shy; frightening, ugly
4Proto-Germanicskeuhazfrightened; shy; timid; bashful; coy; reserved;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanskewkós—

Words derived from “shy”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European skewkós →Every word from Proto-Germanic skeuhaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic skeuh →