Where does “wristful” come from?
wristful (English) comes from English wrist, from Middle English wrist, from Old English wrist, from Proto-Germanic wristuz, from Proto-Germanic wrīþaną, from Proto-Indo-European wreyt-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
wristful (English): A quantity worn on or covering one wrist
Definitions
- A quantity worn on or covering one wrist
Ancestry of “wristful”, step by step
wristful traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English wrist
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wrist | The complex joint between forearm bones, carpus,... |
| 2 | Middle English | wrist | wrist; The joint at the ankle |
| 3 | Old English | wrist | wrist |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wristuz | joint |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wrīþaną | to weave, to twist |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wreyt- | to twist |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |
via English ful
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ful | — |