Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wanker” come from?

wanker (English) comes from English -er, from Middle English -er, from Old French -er, from Latin -āre, from Proto-Italic -āō, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti, from Proto-Indo-European yé- — he, she.

wanker (English): A person who wanks; An idiot, a stupid person; An...

Definitions

  1. A person who wanks; An idiot, a stupid person; An...

Ancestry of “wanker”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-erA person or thing that does an action indicated...
2Middle English-eragentive suffix; agent noun suffix
3Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
4Latin-āre—
5Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
6Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
7Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
9Chichewaiyehe, she

Words derived from “wanker”

  • wonk
  • wonkish
  • wankered
  • wonkery
  • wankerdom
  • wonkishness
  • wonkishly
  • wonkdom
  • wonkfest
  • wonkette
  • wankerish
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