Where does “skittishly” come from?
skittishly (English) comes from English skittish, from English -ish, from Middle English -ish, from Old English -isċ, from Proto-West Germanic -isk, from Proto-Germanic -iskaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iskos — Characteristic of, typical of, pertaining to.
skittishly (English): In a skittish manner
Ancestry of “skittishly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | skittish | Easily scared or startled; timid; Wanton;... |
| 2 | English | -ish | Typical of, similar to, being like; Somewhat,... |
| 3 | Middle English | -ish | Alternative form of -yssh |
| 4 | Old English | -isċ | -ish |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | -isk | Creates adjectives from nouns |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -iskaz | Forms adjectives from nouns with the sense of... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -iskos | Characteristic of, typical of, pertaining to |