Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “smyth” come from?

Smyth is a variant spelling of smith, ultimately derived from Proto-Germanic smiþaz and Proto-Indo-European smēy-, referring to a metalworker or one who strikes.

Ancestry of “smyth”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishsmythA blacksmith; one who works with iron; A...
2Old Englishsmiþsmith
3Proto-West Germanic*smiþ—
4Proto-Germanicsmiþazcraftsman, smith
5Proto-Indo-Europeansmēy-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European smēy- →