Where does “sportsmanliness” come from?

sportsmanliness (English) comes from English sportsmanly, from English sportsman, from English sports, from English sport, from Middle English sport, from Middle English disport, from Old French desport, from Old French deport — spring.

sportsmanliness (English): The quality of being sportsmanly

Definitions

  1. The quality of being sportsmanly

Ancestry of “sportsmanliness”, step by step

sportsmanliness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English sportsmanly

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsportsmanlyBefitting a sportsman; being or demonstrating the...
2EnglishsportsmanA man who engages in sports; a male athlete; A...
3Englishsportsplural of sport; Third-person singular simple...
4EnglishsportAny activity that uses physical exertion or...
5Middle Englishsport
6Middle Englishdisport
7Old FrenchdesportAlternative form of deport
8Old Frenchdeportenjoyment; fun
9Latindeportōto bring or convey
10Latindē-of; from
11Latinof; concerning; about
12Latinverumtruly; even so; but; yet; however; still
13Latinvērspring
14Latinveror
15Proto-Italicwezorspring

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose
Every word from Proto-Italic wezorEvery word from Latin dē-Every word from Latin veror