Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “upset” come from?

Upset comes from Middle English upsetten, a compound of up and setten meaning to set up or overturn.

upset (English): Angry, distressed, or unhappy; Feeling unwell,...

Definitions

  1. Angry, distressed, or unhappy; Feeling unwell,...

Ancestry of “upset”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishupsetthe act of setting up; establishment
2Middle Englishupsetten—
3Old Dutchsetten—
4Proto-West Germanic*sattjan—
5Proto-Germanicsatjanąto set, to place down
6Proto-Indo-Europeansodéyetito set, to seat, to cause to sit
7Proto-Indo-European-éyetiForms causative imperfective verbs from roots;...
8Proto-Indo-European-yetiCreates transitive imperfective verbs from roots

Words derived from “upset”

  • upsetting
  • upsetter
  • upsetness
  • upsettingly
  • unupsettable
  • upsettable
  • upsettingness
  • unupset
  • nonupset
  • upsettest
  • upsettably
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yeti →