Where does “sponging” come from?
Sponging comes from English sponge, from Ancient Greek σπογγιά and σπόγγος, which referred to the porous marine animal used for cleaning.
sponging (English): present participle of sponge; The application of...
Definitions
- present participle of sponge; The application of...
Ancestry of “sponging”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | sponge | Any of various marine invertebrates, mostly of... |
| 2 | Old English | spunge | — |
| 3 | Latin | spongia | A sponge; pumice, or other things resembling a... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | σπογγιά | sponge |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -ῐ́ᾱ | {{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |