Where does “tightwaddish” come from?
tightwaddish (English) comes from English tightwad, 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- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
tightwaddish (English): Characteristic of a tightwad; stingy, overly...
Definitions
- Characteristic of a tightwad; stingy, overly...
Ancestry of “tightwaddish”, step by step
tightwaddish traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English tightwad
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | tightwad | One who is stingy, overly cautious, or defensive... |
| 2 | English | wad | An amorphous, compact mass; A substantial pile; A... |
| 3 | Middle English | wadmal | woolen cloth |
| 4 | Old Norse | váðmál | woolen stuff |
| 5 | Old Norse | mál | language; speech; matter, affair |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | mēlą | measure, measurement; time, occasion; point in... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |
via English ish
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ish | Pronunciation spelling of is; somewhat,... |
| 2 | English | -ish | Typical of, similar to, being like; Somewhat,... |
| 3 | Middle English | -ish | Alternative form of -yssh |
| 4 | Old English | -isċ | -ish |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | -isk | Creates adjectives from nouns |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -iskaz | Forms adjectives from nouns with the sense of... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -iskos | Characteristic of, typical of, pertaining to |