Where does “tarnish” come from?
Tarnish comes from Middle English ternysshen, from Old French ternir, from Frankish darnijan, from Proto-West Germanic -jan, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰerg-.
tarnish (English): Oxidation or discoloration, especially of a...
Definitions
- Oxidation or discoloration, especially of a...
Ancestry of “tarnish”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ternysshen | — |
| 2 | Old French | ternir | to make dim, make wan |
| 3 | Old High German | *ternen | — |