Where does “ug” come from?

Ug is an English word of uncertain origin, possibly related to Old Norse uggr and Icelandic uggi, though the exact meaning and sense development remain unknown.

ug (English): A feeling of fear, horror or disgust; An object...

Definitions

  1. A feeling of fear, horror or disgust; An object...

Ancestry of “ug”, step by step

ug traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English ugge

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishugge—
2Old Norseuggrfear, apprehension

via Icelandic uggi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicuggifin
Every word from Old Norse uggr →Every word from Middle English ugge →