Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “spits” come from?

spits (English) comes from English spit, from Middle English spit, from Middle English despit, from Old French despit, from Latin dēspectus, from Latin dēspiciō, from Latin dē-, from Latin dē — afterwards, post; by, at.

spits (English): plural of spit; Third-person singular simple...

Definitions

  1. plural of spit; Third-person singular simple...

Ancestry of “spits”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishspitA thin metal or wooden rod on which meat is...
2Middle Englishspit—
3Middle Englishdespit—
4Old Frenchdespit—
5Latindēspectus—
6Latindēspiciō—
7Latindē-—
8Latindē—
9Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
10Latinposteablative singular of postis
11Proto-Italicposti—
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →