Where does “wishy-washiness” come from?
wishy-washiness (English) comes from English wishy-washy, from English washy, from English wash, from Middle English washen, from Old English wasċan, from Proto-West Germanic waskan, from Proto-Germanic waskaną, from Proto-Germanic watskaną — to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...
wishy-washiness (English): The quality of being wishy-washy
Definitions
- The quality of being wishy-washy
Ancestry of “wishy-washiness”, step by step
wishy-washiness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English wishy-washy
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wishy-washy | Wavering; lacking in commitment, certainty, or... |
| 2 | English | washy | Watery; damp; soft; Lacking substance or... |
| 3 | English | wash | To clean with water; To move or erode by the... |
| 4 | Middle English | washen | — |
| 5 | Old English | wasċan | to wash |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | waskan | to wash |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | waskaną | to wash |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | watskaną | to wash, get wet |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | wed- | water |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | wey- | to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;... |
via English Ness
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ness | An Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa |
| 2 | Middle English | nesse | — |
| 3 | Old English | næs | not, not at all; not; first/third-person singular... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | nasją | foothill; headland; cape |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂s | nose |