Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “underdog” come from?

Underdog derives from Middle English under- combined with dog, from Old English under- and dog, ultimately from Proto-Germanic under and an unrelated word for dog.

underdog (English): A competitor thought unlikely to win; Somebody at...

Definitions

  1. A competitor thought unlikely to win; Somebody at...

Ancestry of “underdog”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdogA mammal, "Canis familiaris" or "Canis lupus...
2EnglishdogshitDog excrement; Something disgusting, abominable,...
3EnglishshitSolid excretory product evacuated from the...
4Middle Dutchschite—
5Old Dutchskīta—
6Old Saxonskiti—
7Proto-Germanicskītaz—
8Proto-Indo-Europeansḱeyd-to shade; to cut off; to part with, separate, cut...
9Proto-Indo-Europeansḱēy-to shine; to shimmer; shadow; luster, gloss,...
10Proto-Germanicskaidąseparation, distinction
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanskÁit-to cut, part, spearate, divide; to cut, part,...

Words derived from “underdog”

  • underdogism
  • underdoggism
  • Underdog
Every word from Proto-Indo-European skÁit- →