Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “spaying” come from?

spaying (English) comes from English spay, from Middle English spayen, from Anglo-Norman espeier, from Old French espeer, from Old French -er, from Latin -āre, from Proto-Italic -āō, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti — he, she.

spaying (English): present participle of spay; The act or operation...

Definitions

  1. present participle of spay; The act or operation...

Ancestry of “spaying”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishspayTo remove or destroy the ovaries and/or uterus ...
2Middle Englishspayento stab or kill, especially to kill with a sword...
3Anglo-NormanespeierAlternative form of espier; Alternative form of...
4Old Frenchespeerto pierce
5Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
6Latin-āre—
7Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
8Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
9Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
11Chichewaiyehe, she
Every word from Chichewa iye →