Where does “tightwad” come from?
tightwad (English) comes from English wad, from Middle English wadmal, from Old Norse váðmál, from Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic mēlą, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
tightwad (English): One who is stingy, overly cautious, or defensive...
Definitions
- One who is stingy, overly cautious, or defensive...
Ancestry of “tightwad”, step by step
tightwad traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English wad
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wad | An amorphous, compact mass; A substantial pile; A... |
| 2 | Middle English | wadmal | woolen cloth |
| 3 | Old Norse | váðmál | woolen stuff |
| 4 | Old Norse | mál | language; speech; matter, affair |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | mēlą | measure, measurement; time, occasion; point in... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |