Where does “spoonbender” come from?
spoonbender (English) comes from English spoon, from Middle English spoon, from Old English spōn, from Proto-West Germanic spanu, from Proto-Germanic spenô, from Proto-Indo-European psten-os-, from Proto-Indo-European pstḗn, from Proto-Indo-European ph₂ǵ-sth₂-ḗn — to stand.
spoonbender (English): An illusionist who performs spoonbending
Definitions
- An illusionist who performs spoonbending
Ancestry of “spoonbender”, step by step
spoonbender traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English spoon
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | spoon | An implement for eating or serving; a scooped... |
| 2 | Middle English | spoon | Alternative form of spone |
| 3 | Old English | spōn | piece of wood, chip; sliver, chip of wood,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | spanu | piece of wood, chip, shaving |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | spenô | nipple |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | psten-os- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pstḗn | breast, teat |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₂ǵ-sth₂-ḗn | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | steh₂- | to stand |
via English Bender
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Bender | One who, or that which, bends |
| 2 | English | bend | To cause to change its shape into a curve, by... |
| 3 | Middle English | benden | — |
| 4 | Old English | bendan | to bind; to bend a bow |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | bandijan | to bind |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | bandijaną | To bind, fetter, restrain; stretch; To bend |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰendʰ- | to bind; bond |