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
- A very small quantity or amount
Ancestry of “smidgen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | smītan | to daub, smear, smudge; soil, defile, pollute |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *smītan | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | smītaną | to cast; sling; hurl; to hit; strike; to smear;... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | smeyd- | to smear, whick, strike, rub; to smear, whisk,... |