Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “spit” come from?

Spit comes from Middle English spytte, from Old English spitu, from Proto-Germanic spitą, from Proto-Indo-European spey-.

spit (English): A thin metal or wooden rod on which meat is...

Definitions

  1. A thin metal or wooden rod on which meat is...

Ancestry of “spit”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishspit—
2Middle Englishdespit—
3Old Frenchdespit—
4Latindēspectus—
5Latindēspiciō—
6Latindē-—
7Latindē—
8Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
9Latinposteablative singular of postis
10Proto-Italicposti—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

Words derived from “spit”

  • spitting
  • spittoon
  • spitfire
  • turnspit
  • spitball
  • sandspit
  • spitter
  • spitless
  • spitty
  • spitballer
  • spitbox
  • spitteth
  • spitful
  • spitshine
  • spittest
  • outspit
  • spitstick
  • spitbug
  • spits
  • spitbraaied
  • batspit
  • spitbraai
  • unspit
  • spet
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →