Where does “you-know-what” come from?
you-know-what (English) comes from English you, from Middle English ȝow, from Old English ēowu, from Proto-Germanic awiz, from French avis, from Middle French advis, from Dutch advies, from Middle Dutch avijs.
you-know-what (English): The name of something the speaker does not want...
Definitions
- The name of something the speaker does not want...
Ancestry of “you-know-what”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | you | The people spoken, or written to, as an object;... |
| 2 | Middle English | ȝow | Alternative form of yow |
| 3 | Old English | ēowu | ewe |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | awiz | ewe; sheep in general |
| 5 | French | avis | opinion; piece of advice; notice |
| 6 | Middle French | advis | opinion |
| 7 | Dutch | advies | advice |
| 8 | Middle Dutch | avijs | — |
| 9 | Old French | avis | opinion |
| 10 | Old French | a | to; towards; belonging to |
| 11 | Latin | A | — |
| 12 | Etruscan | 𐌀 | — |
| 13 | Ancient Greek | ᾱ̔ | — |
| 14 | Phoenician | 𐤀 | ox; aleph; alef |
| 15 | Egyptian | 𓃾 | — |