Where does “toothsome” come from?
Toothsome combines English tooth from Proto-Germanic tanþs and Proto-Indo-European tewh₂- with English some from Proto-Indo-European sem-.
toothsome (English): Delicious; Sexually attractive; Having a pleasing...
Definitions
- Delicious; Sexually attractive; Having a pleasing...
Ancestry of “toothsome”, step by step
toothsome traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English tooth
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | tooth | A hard, calcareous structure present in the mouth... |
| 2 | Middle English | toth | Alternative form of tothe |
| 3 | Old English | tōþ | tooth |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | tanþs | tooth |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃dónts | tooth |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁ed- | to eat |
via English some
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | some | A certain number, at least two; An indefinite... |
| 2 | Middle English | som | some |
| 3 | Old English | sum | some |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *sum | some |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | sumaz | some (one), a certain (one) |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sem- | together, one |
Words derived from “toothsome”