Where does “spruce up” come from?
spruce up (English) comes from English spruce, from Middle English Spruce, from Middle English Pruce, from Latin Prussia, from Middle High German Prūzin.
spruce up (English): To dress or arrange smartly, elegantly, and...
Definitions
- To dress or arrange smartly, elegantly, and...
Ancestry of “spruce up”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | spruce | Any of various large coniferous evergreen trees... |
| 2 | Middle English | Spruce | — |
| 3 | Middle English | Pruce | Prussia |
| 4 | Latin | Prussia | — |
| 5 | Middle High German | Prūzin | — |