Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “spoonbending” come from?

spoonbending (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.

spoonbending (English): A form of stage magic involving the apparent...

Definitions

  1. A form of stage magic involving the apparent...

Ancestry of “spoonbending”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishspoonAn implement for eating or serving; a scooped...
2Middle EnglishspoonAlternative form of spone
3Old Englishspōnpiece of wood, chip; sliver, chip of wood,...
4Proto-West Germanicspanu—
5Proto-Germanicspenônipple
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpsten-os-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpstḗnbreast, teat
8Proto-Indo-Europeanph₂ǵ-sth₂-ḗn—
9Proto-Indo-Europeansteh₂-to stand
Every word from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- →