Where does “smidgen” come from?

smidgen (English) comes from Old English smītan, from Proto-West Germanic *smītan, from Proto-Germanic smītaną, from Proto-Indo-European smeyd- — to smear, whick, strike, rub; to smear, whisk,...

smidgen (English): A very small quantity or amount

Definitions

  1. A very small quantity or amount

Ancestry of “smidgen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishsmītanto daub, smear, smudge; soil, defile, pollute
2Proto-West Germanic*smītanto cast, hurl
3Proto-Germanicsmītanąto cast; sling; hurl; to hit; strike; to smear;...
4Proto-Indo-Europeansmeyd-to smear, whick, strike, rub; to smear, whisk,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European smeyd- →Every word from Proto-Germanic smītaną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *smītan →