Where does “thiefwise” come from?
thiefwise (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-.
thiefwise (English): Like a thief; stealthily and secretly
Definitions
- Like a thief; stealthily and secretly
Ancestry of “thiefwise”, step by step
thiefwise 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- | — |