Where does “tenpence” come from?
tenpence (English) comes from English ten, from Middle English ten, from Old English tēon, from Old English tēohan, from Proto-West Germanic teuhan, from Proto-Germanic teuhaną, from Proto-Indo-European dewk- — to pull, to draw; to lead.
tenpence (English): A coin worth ten old pence; A coin worth ten new...
Definitions
- A coin worth ten old pence; A coin worth ten new...
Ancestry of “tenpence”, step by step
tenpence traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English ten
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ten | The number occurring after nine and before... |
| 2 | Middle English | ten | ten; plural of tothe |
| 3 | Old English | tēon | to drag, draw, pull; to train, discipline; to... |
| 4 | Old English | tēohan | — |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | teuhan | to pull; to lead |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | teuhaną | to lead; to pull behind oneself, draw, drag |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dewk- | to pull, to draw; to lead |