Where does “wigwag” come from?
wigwag (English) comes from English WAG, from Old Norse vága, from Middle Low German wāgen, from Old Saxon wagan, from Proto-West Germanic wagn, from Proto-Germanic wagnaz, from Proto-Indo-European woǵʰnos, from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ- — to bring; to transport.
wigwag (English): An act of wigwagging; Any of a number of...
Definitions
- An act of wigwagging; Any of a number of...
Ancestry of “wigwag”, step by step
wigwag traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English WAG
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | WAG | A wild-assed guess; a rough estimate; A wife or... |
| 2 | Old Norse | vága | — |
| 3 | Middle Low German | wāgen | — |
| 4 | Old Saxon | wagan | wagon, carriage |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | wagn | cart, wagon |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wagnaz | cart, wagon |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | woǵʰnos | wagon, primitive carriage |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | weǵʰ- | to bring; to transport |