Where does “watchnight” come from?

watchnight (English) comes from English night, from Middle English nyght, from Middle English nighte, from Old English nyht, from Proto-West Germanic naht, from Proto-Germanic nahts, from Proto-Indo-European nókʷts, from Proto-Indo-European negʷ- — bare, naked.

watchnight (English): A monthly or quarterly religious service...

Definitions

  1. A monthly or quarterly religious service...

Ancestry of “watchnight”, step by step

watchnight traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English night

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishnightThe period between sunset and sunrise, when a...
2Middle EnglishnyghtAlternative form of nighte; Alternative form of...
3Middle Englishnightenight
4Old EnglishnyhtAlternative form of niht
5Proto-West Germanicnahtnight
6Proto-Germanicnahtsnight
7Proto-Indo-Europeannókʷtsnight
8Proto-Indo-Europeannegʷ-bare, naked

via English watch

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwatchA portable or wearable timepiece; The act of...
2EnglishpuppyA young dog, especially before sexual maturity; A...
3EnglishpuppieObsolete form of puppy
4Middle Frenchpoupéedoll, toy
5Old Frenchpoupée
6Latinpupagirl, little girl; doll, puppet; pupa
7Latinpupusa boy, a child; a puppet; the pupil of the eye
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂w-few, little; smallness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European negʷ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European nókʷtsEvery word from Proto-Germanic nahts