Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “waiflike” come from?

waiflike (English) comes from English -like, from Middle English -like, from Middle English -liche, from Old English -līc, from Proto-Germanic -līkaz, from Proto-Germanic līką, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

waiflike (English): Resembling a waif; apparently homeless, starving,...

Definitions

  1. Resembling a waif; apparently homeless, starving,...

Ancestry of “waiflike”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-likeHaving some of the characteristics of
2Middle English-likeAlternative form of -liche
3Middle English-licheUsed to form adjectives from nouns, the...
4Old English-līc—
5Proto-Germanic-līkaz-like, -ly
6Proto-Germaniclīkąbody; corpse, dead body; leech-line, bolt-rope
7Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →