Where does “canif” come from?
canif (French) comes from Middle English knif, from Old English cnīf, from Old Norse knífr, from Proto-Germanic knībaz, from Proto-Germanic knīpaną, from Proto-Indo-European ǵneybʰ-.
canif (French): penknife
Ancestry of “canif”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | knif | Alternative form of knyf; knife |
| 2 | Old English | cnīf | knife |
| 3 | Old Norse | knífr | knife |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | knībaz | pincers; shears; knife |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | knīpaną | to pinch |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵneybʰ- | — |
Words derived from “canif”