Where does “thiefness” come from?
thiefness (English) comes from English thief, from Middle Scots theif, from Middle English þef, from Old English þēof, from Proto-West Germanic þeub, from Proto-Germanic þeubaz, from Proto-Indo-European tewpó-.
thiefness (English): The state or conduct of a thief; thievery
Definitions
- The state or conduct of a thief; thievery
Ancestry of “thiefness”, step by step
thiefness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English thief
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | thief | One who carries out a theft; One who steals... |
| 2 | Middle Scots | theif | A criminal or villain; a malicious or lawbreaking person |
| 3 | Middle English | þef | Alternative form of thef |
| 4 | Old English | þēof | thief |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | þeub | thief |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | þeubaz | thief |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | tewpó- | — |
via English Ness
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ness | An 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 |
| 2 | Middle English | nesse | — |
| 3 | Old English | næs | not, not at all; not; first/third-person singular... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | nasją | foothill; headland; cape |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂s | nose |