Where does “flippant” come from?
flippant (French) comes from French flipper, from English flipper, from English Flip, from English fillip, from Middle English filippen, from Middle English flappen — to flap, clap, slap, strike.
flippant (French): Surprising; Worrying; scary; present participle...
Definitions
- Surprising; Worrying; scary; present participle...
Ancestry of “flippant”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | flipper | pinball; to freak out |
| 2 | English | flipper | In marine mammals such as whales, a wide flat... |
| 3 | English | Flip | A Filipino; a person who is of Filipino... |
| 4 | English | fillip | The action of holding the tip of a finger against... |
| 5 | Middle English | filippen | to make a signal or sound with thumb and right... |
| 6 | Middle English | flappen | to flap, clap, slap, strike |