Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “shyful” come from?

shyful (English) comes from English shy, from Middle English shy, from Old English sċēoh, from Proto-West Germanic skeuh, from Proto-Germanic skeuhaz, from Proto-Indo-European skewkós.

shyful (English): Exhibiting shyness; timid

Definitions

  1. Exhibiting shyness; timid

Ancestry of “shyful”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshyEasily frightened; timid; Reserved; disinclined...
2Middle Englishshyshy
3Old Englishsċēohshy
4Proto-West Germanicskeuhfrightened, shy; frightening, ugly
5Proto-Germanicskeuhazfrightened; shy; timid; bashful; coy; reserved;...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanskewkós—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European skewkós →