Where does “tong war” come from?
tong war (English) comes from English tong, from Middle English tonge, from Old English tung, from Proto-West Germanic tungā, from Proto-Germanic tungǭ, from Proto-Indo-European dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s — tongue.
tong war (English): A conflict between rival Chinese-American gangs
Definitions
- A conflict between rival Chinese-American gangs
Ancestry of “tong war”, step by step
tong war traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English tong
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | tong | An instrument or tool used for manipulating... |
| 2 | Middle English | tonge | Alternative form of tung |
| 3 | Old English | tung | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | tungā | tongue; speech, language |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | tungǭ | tongue; speech, language |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s | tongue |
via English War
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | War | Preceded by [[the#Article |
| 2 | Middle English | werre | War in general; the practice of fighting between... |
| 3 | Old Norse | verri | comparative degree of illr, worse; worse |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wirsizô | comparative degree of *ubilaz; worse |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wers- | to wipe; peak, height |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |