Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “thoroughgoing” come from?

Thoroughgoing derives from English thorough and going, with thorough descending from Middle English thoruȝ, Old English þuruh, and Proto-Germanic þurhw, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European terh₂- meaning to cross or pierce.

thoroughgoing (English): With great attention to detail; complete,...

Definitions

  1. With great attention to detail; complete,...

Ancestry of “thoroughgoing”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishgoingpresent participle of go; Attending or visiting ...
2EnglishGoAn ancient Chinese board game, today also popular...
3EnglishstopTo cease moving; To not continue; To cause to...
4EnglishtopThe highest or uppermost part of something; A...
5Middle EnglishtopThe summit or top of something, especially a...
6Old Englishtopp—
7Proto-West Germanic*topp—
8Proto-Germanictuppaztuft, plait; top, summit
9Proto-Indo-Europeandumb-tail, rod, staff, pole, penis; tail, rod, staff,...

Words derived from “thoroughgoing”

  • thoroughgoingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dumb- →