Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “splaying” come from?

splaying (English) comes from English splay, from Middle English splaien, from Middle English spaien, from Anglo-Norman espeier, from Old French espeer, from Old French -er, from Latin -āre, from Proto-Italic -āō — he, she.

splaying (English): present participle of splay; A shape or motion...

Definitions

  1. present participle of splay; A shape or motion...

Ancestry of “splaying”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsplayTo spread; spread out; To dislocate, as a...
2Middle Englishsplaien—
3Middle Englishspaien—
4Anglo-NormanespeierAlternative form of espier; Alternative form of...
5Old Frenchespeerto pierce
6Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
7Latin-āre—
8Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
9Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
10Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
11Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
12Chichewaiyehe, she
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