Where does “smart-alecky” come from?
smart-alecky (English) comes from English -y, from Middle English -y, from Old English -iġ, from Proto-West Germanic -g, from Proto-Germanic -gaz, from Proto-Indo-European -ḱos — -y, -ic.
smart-alecky (English): Having the quality of a smart-aleck; rude,...
Definitions
- Having the quality of a smart-aleck; rude,...
Ancestry of “smart-alecky”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | -y | Added to nouns and adjectives to form adjectives... |
| 2 | Middle English | -y | Designates an adjective, in many cases formed by... |
| 3 | Old English | -iġ | -y, -ic |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | -g | Forms adjectives from nouns and verbs with a... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -gaz | -y |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -ḱos | -y, -ic |