Where does “twerk” come from?
twerk (English) comes from English twitch, from English quitch, from Middle English quicchen, from Old English cweċċan, from Proto-Germanic kwakjaną, from Proto-Indo-European gʷog- — to shake, swing.
twerk (English): A puny or insignificant person, generally male; a...
Definitions
- A puny or insignificant person, generally male; a...
Ancestry of “twerk”, step by step
twerk traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English twitch
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | twitch | A brief, small movement out of place and then... |
| 2 | English | quitch | To shake (something); to stir, move |
| 3 | Middle English | quicchen | — |
| 4 | Old English | cweċċan | to shake, swing, move, vibrate, shake off, give... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | kwakjaną | to shake, shake about, jolt, swing; to shake,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷog- | to shake, swing |
via English jerk
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | jerk | A sudden, often uncontrolled movement, especially... |
| 2 | Middle English | yerk | sudden motion |
| 3 | Old English | ġearc | active, quick; ready, active, quick |
via English twerp
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | twerp | A fool, a twit; A small or puny person; one... |