Where does “whatnot” come from?
Whatnot derives from English what combined with not, from Middle English nat and Old English notu, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ne meaning negation.
whatnot (English): A small unspecified object; bric-a-brac; Other...
Definitions
- A small unspecified object; bric-a-brac; Other...
Ancestry of “whatnot”, step by step
whatnot traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English what
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | what | Which thing, event, circumstance, etc.: used... |
| 2 | Middle English | what | what |
| 3 | Old English | hwæt | what; why; how many or how much |
| 4 | Old English | -ing | Forming nouns from verbs, indicating action,... |
| 5 | Old English | -tūn | homestead, village, town |
| 6 | Old English | tūn | enclosure, yard; place; dwelling |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | tūn | fence |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | tūną | fence; enclosure |
| 9 | Gaulish | dunum | fort; hill, hillfort |
| 10 | Proto-Celtic | dūnom | stronghold, rampart |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |
via English Not
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Not | — |
| 2 | Middle English | not | not; nothing, nought; nobody, no person |
| 3 | Middle English | nought | nothing, none; not; iniquitous, wicked |
| 4 | Old English | nōwiht | — |
| 5 | Old English | ne | not; or, and not; "ne... ne..." is used to mean "... |
| 6 | Old English | ealles | completely, wholly, entirely; totally,... |
| 7 | Old English | -es | possessive marker, indicating that an object... |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | -as | used in formation of adverbs |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -ēs | Primarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -ess | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | -os | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;... |