Where does “attrape-nigaud” come from?
attrape-nigaud (French) comes from French attraper, from French trapper, from French trappe, from Middle French trappe, from Old French trape, from Medieval Latin trappa, from Frankish trappa, from Proto-Germanic trap- — to split, to separate; to tear, to crack, to...
attrape-nigaud (French): sucker trap
Definitions
- sucker trap
Ancestry of “attrape-nigaud”, step by step
attrape-nigaud traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via French attraper
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | attraper | to trap; to catch |
| 2 | French | trapper | To trap |
| 3 | French | trappe | hatch or trap door; trap |
| 4 | Middle French | trappe | — |
| 5 | Old French | trape | trap; hiding place |
| 6 | Medieval Latin | trappa | — |
| 7 | Frankish | trappa | trap, snare |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | trap- | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | dreb- | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | der- | to split, to separate; to tear, to crack, to... |
via French nigaud
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | nigaud | silly, dimwitted; nincompoop, goof, nitwit |
| 2 | French | Nigodème | — |
| 3 | French | Nicodème | Nicodemus |
| 4 | Latin | Nīcodēmus | character in the play Vidularia of Plautus |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Νῑκόδημος | Nicodemus, a Pharisee who showed favour to Jesus |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | δῆμος | district, country, land; the common people; free... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | γράφω | to scratch, cut into; to draw, sketch, paint; to... |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | grəpʰō | to scratch, cut or carve into |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | gerbʰ- | to carve |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ger- | to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind... |