Where does “youngish” come from?
Youngish derives from Middle English -isch and Old English -isċ, suffixes attached to Proto-Germanic jungaz, which descends from Proto-Indo-European h₂yuh₁en-, meaning vital or lively.
youngish (English): Somewhat young
Definitions
- Somewhat young
Ancestry of “youngish”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Young | surname |
| 2 | Middle English | yong | Early in growth or life; young; Characteristic of... |
| 3 | Old English | ġeong | young |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | jung | young |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | jungaz | young |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | juwungaz | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | yuwn̥kós | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂yuh₁en- | young |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ey- | vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning |