Where does “thing” come from?
Thing derives from Middle English thing, Old English þing, Proto-Germanic þingą, and Proto-Indo-European tenkó-, ultimately from the root tenk-.
thing (English): That which is considered to exist as a separate...
Definitions
- That which is considered to exist as a separate...
Ancestry of “thing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | thing | thing |
| 2 | Old English | þing | event, meeting, court; matter, concern; thing,... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | þing | court session, lawsuit; affair, matter; thing,... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | þingą | appointed time; date; appointment; meeting;... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | tenkó- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | tenk- | to be solid, firm; to be suitable; to succeed,... |