Where does “wanky” come from?

wanky (English) comes from Middle English wankel, from Old English wancol, from Proto-West Germanic wankul, from Proto-West Germanic wankōn, from Proto-Germanic wankōną, from Proto-Germanic weganą, from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ- — to bring; to transport.

wanky (English): Like a wanker; foolish or objectionable;...

Definitions

  1. Like a wanker; foolish or objectionable;...

Ancestry of “wanky”, step by step

wanky traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English wankel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwankelunstable, mutable, tottering, unconstant
2Old Englishwancolunstable, unsteady, uncertain, fickle,...
3Proto-West Germanicwankulswaying, wavering, tottering; shaky, unsteady,...
4Proto-West Germanicwankōnto sway, to waver
5Proto-Germanicwankōnąto sway, to waver
6Proto-Germanicweganąto move, to carry; to weigh
7Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵʰ-to bring; to transport

via English wank

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwankTo masturbate; To masturbate; to give a hand job...

Words derived from “wanky

Every word from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic weganąEvery word from Proto-Germanic wankōną