Where does “sleuthwork” come from?
sleuthwork (English) comes from English work, from Middle English werk, from Old English weorc, from Proto-West Germanic werk, from Proto-Germanic werką, from Proto-Indo-European wérǵom, from Proto-Indo-European werǵ- — to make.
sleuthwork (English): detective work
Definitions
- detective work
Ancestry of “sleuthwork”, step by step
sleuthwork traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English work
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | work | "Employment."; "Effort."; Sustained effort to... |
| 2 | Middle English | werk | work |
| 3 | Old English | weorc | work, in various senses, including |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | werk | work |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | werką | work |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wérǵom | work |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | werǵ- | to make |
via English sleuth
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sleuth | A detective; A sleuth-hound; a bloodhound; An... |
| 2 | English | sleuthhound | A working dog who tracks or pursues e.g. a wanted... |
| 3 | Middle English | sluth hunde | — |
| 4 | Old Norse | slóð | trail, track |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | slōdō | — |