Where does “werewolfish” come from?
werewolfish (English) comes from English werewolf, from Middle English werwolf, from Old English werewulf, from Old English wer, from Proto-Germanic wer, from Proto-Germanic wēraz, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós, from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁- — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.
werewolfish (English): Resembling or characteristic of a werewolf
Definitions
- Resembling or characteristic of a werewolf
Ancestry of “werewolfish”, step by step
werewolfish traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English werewolf
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | werewolf | A person who is transformed or can transform into... |
| 2 | Middle English | werwolf | — |
| 3 | Old English | werewulf | werewolf |
| 4 | Old English | wer | man; husband; hero, warrior |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wer | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wēraz | true; reliable; friendly; kind |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wiHrós | man; husband; warrior, hero |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | weyh₁- | to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute |
via English ish
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ish | Pronunciation spelling of is; somewhat,... |
| 2 | English | -ish | Typical of, similar to, being like; Somewhat,... |
| 3 | Middle English | -ish | Alternative form of -yssh |
| 4 | Old English | -isċ | -ish |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | -isk | Creates adjectives from nouns |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -iskaz | Forms adjectives from nouns with the sense of... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -iskos | Characteristic of, typical of, pertaining to |