Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “undersized” come from?

Undersized comes from English size with the past participle suffix -ed, ultimately from Proto-Germanic under and Proto-Indo-European n̥dʰér meaning "under," combined with Proto-Indo-European -tós forming adjectives.

undersized (English): below the usual or expected size

Definitions

  1. below the usual or expected size

Ancestry of “undersized”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsizedHaving a certain size. Usually used in...
2EnglishsizeAn assize; A regulation determining the amount of...
3English-erA person or thing that does an action indicated...
4Middle English-eragentive suffix; agent noun suffix
5Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
6Latin-āre—
7Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
8Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
9Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
11Chichewaiyehe, she
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