Where does “smuggishness” come from?
smuggishness (English) comes from English smuggish, from English smug, from Low German smuk, from Middle Low German smuk, from Proto-West Germanic smeugan, from Proto-Germanic *smeuganą, from Proto-Indo-European (s)mewk-, from Proto-Indo-European smewg- — to slip, glide, slide; to slip, glide; be slimy.
smuggishness (English): The quality of being smuggish
Definitions
- The quality of being smuggish
Ancestry of “smuggishness”, step by step
smuggishness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English smuggish
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | smuggish | Somewhat smug |
| 2 | English | smug | Irritatingly pleased with oneself, offensively... |
| 3 | Low German | smuk | — |
| 4 | Middle Low German | smuk | lithe, neat; lithe, delicate, neat, trim;... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | smeugan | to creep, to crawl |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *smeuganą | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)mewk- | to let loose, release; to slip away, escape, flee |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | smewg- | to slip, glide, slide; to slip, glide; be slimy |
via English Ness
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ness | An Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa |
| 2 | Middle English | nesse | — |
| 3 | Old English | næs | not, not at all; not; first/third-person singular... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | nasją | foothill; headland; cape |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂s | nose |