Where does “undercitizen” come from?
undercitizen (English) comes from English citizen, from Middle English citeseyn, from Anglo-Norman citesain, from Old French citeain, from Old French cité, from Latin cīvitās, from Proto-Italic keiwis, from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- — to be lying down; to settle.
undercitizen (English): A lower-ranking citizen
Definitions
- A lower-ranking citizen
Ancestry of “undercitizen”, step by step
undercitizen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English citizen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | citizen | A resident of a city or town, especially one with... |
| 2 | Middle English | citeseyn | A freeman or burgher: a legally-recognized member... |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | citesain | burgher; city-dweller |
| 4 | Old French | citeain | — |
| 5 | Old French | cité | city |
| 6 | Latin | cīvitās | — |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | keiwis | society; citizen |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱey- | to be lying down; to settle |