Where does “simpletonism” come from?
simpletonism (English) comes from English simpleton, from English simple, from Middle English symple, from Old French simple, from Latin simplex, from Latin -plex, from Latin plicō, from Proto-Indo-European pleḱ- — to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold.
simpletonism (English): The quality of being a simpleton
Definitions
- The quality of being a simpleton
Ancestry of “simpletonism”, step by step
simpletonism traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English simpleton
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | simpleton | A simple-minded person lacking common sense |
| 2 | English | simple | Uncomplicated; taken by itself, with nothing... |
| 3 | Middle English | symple | virtuous, godly, without sin; simple, spartan,... |
| 4 | Old French | simple | innocent; mere; simple; honest; without pretense |
| 5 | Latin | simplex | single; simple, plain, uncompounded; pure,... |
| 6 | Latin | -plex | -fold |
| 7 | Latin | plicō | to fold, bend or flex; to roll up |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pleḱ- | to fold, plait, weave |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |
via English ism
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ism | An ideology, system of thought, or practice that... |
| 2 | English | -ism | Used to form nouns of action or process or result... |
| 3 | Latin | -ismus | -ism |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -ισμός | Forms abstract nouns |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -μός | Forms abstract nouns |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -mós | Creates action/result nouns from verb stems |