Where does “sixpence” come from?
Sixpence comes from English six and English penny, ultimately from Old English siex, Proto-Germanic sehs, and Proto-Indo-European swéḱs, meaning the number six.
sixpence (English): The value of six old pence; half of a shilling;...
Definitions
- The value of six old pence; half of a shilling;...
Ancestry of “sixpence”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | Six | — |
| 2 | Middle English | six | six |
| 3 | Old English | six | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | sehs | six |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | sehs | six |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | swéḱs | six |