Where does “sneakingness” come from?
sneakingness (English) comes from English sneaking, from English sneak, from Middle English sniken, from Old English snīcan, from Proto-West Germanic snīkan, from Proto-Germanic snīkaną, from Proto-Indo-European sneyg- — to crawl.
sneakingness (English): sneaking or underhand behaviour; cowardly...
Definitions
- sneaking or underhand behaviour; cowardly...
Ancestry of “sneakingness”, step by step
sneakingness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English sneaking
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sneaking | present participle of sneak; The act of one who... |
| 2 | English | sneak | One who sneaks; one who moves stealthily to... |
| 3 | Middle English | sniken | to creep, crawl |
| 4 | Old English | snīcan | to creep, crawl; to creep; crawl |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | snīkan | to crawl; to creep |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | snīkaną | to crawl; to creep |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sneyg- | to crawl |
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 |