Where does “tough” come from?
Tough comes from Middle English tou, from Old English þū, from Proto-Germanic tanhuz, from Proto-Indo-European denḱ- and túh₂, of unknown ultimate meaning.
tough (English): Strong and resilient; sturdy; Difficult to cut or...
Definitions
- Strong and resilient; sturdy; Difficult to cut or...
Ancestry of “tough”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ly | Used to form adjectives from nouns, the... |
| 2 | English | grisly | Horrifyingly repellent; gruesome, terrifying;... |
| 3 | Middle English | grisely | — |
| 4 | Old English | grisliċ | grisly, horrible; dreadful, horrid |
| 5 | Old English | -līċ | suffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *-līk | — |