Where does “tricksome” come from?

tricksome (English) comes from English some, from Middle English som, from Old English sum, from Proto-West Germanic *sum, from Proto-Germanic sumaz, from Proto-Indo-European sem- — together, one.

tricksome (English): Characterised by tricks or trickery; cunning

Definitions

  1. Characterised by tricks or trickery; cunning

Ancestry of “tricksome”, step by step

tricksome traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English some

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsomeA certain number, at least two; An indefinite...
2Middle Englishsomsome
3Old Englishsumsome
4Proto-West Germanic*sumsome
5Proto-Germanicsumazsome (one), a certain (one)
6Proto-Indo-Europeansem-together, one

via English trick

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtrickSomething designed to fool or swindle; A single...
2Middle Englishtrikke—
3Old Northern Frenchtrique—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sem- →Every word from Proto-Germanic sumaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *sum →
tricksome — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer