Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “singsong” come from?

Singsong comes from English song plus the reduplication pattern seen in English sing, ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European sengʷʰ-, a root meaning to sing or make sound.

singsong (English): Like a piece of singsong; simple and melodic,...

Definitions

  1. Like a piece of singsong; simple and melodic,...

Ancestry of “singsong”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsingTo produce musical or harmonious sounds with...
2Middle EnglishsingenTo sing ; to produce noises with one's voice; To...
3Old Englishsinganto sing, chant
4Proto-West Germanicsingwanto sing
5Proto-Germanicsingwanąto sing
6Proto-Indo-Europeansengʷʰ-to recite; to sing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sengʷʰ- →