Where does “workmanlike” come from?
Workmanlike derives from Middle English -like and Old English -līċ, meaning "resembling or characteristic of," combined with work and mann- from Proto-Germanic, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European men- meaning "to think" and ḱóm meaning "together."
workmanlike (English): Resembling or characteristic of a workman; Done...
Definitions
- Resembling or characteristic of a workman; Done...
Ancestry of “workmanlike”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | workman | A man who labours for wages; An artisan or... |
| 2 | Middle English | werkman | — |
| 3 | Old English | weorcmann | workman, labourer |
| 4 | Old English | weorc | work, in various senses, including |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | werk | work |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | werką | work |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wérǵom | work |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | werǵ- | to make |