Where does “keck” come from?
keck (German) comes from Albanian kec, from Middle High German quec, from Old High German quec, from Proto-West Germanic kwik(k)w, from Proto-Germanic kwikwaz, from Proto-Indo-European gʷih₃wós, from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- — to live.
keck (German): sassy; cheeky
Ancestry of “keck”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Albanian | kec | goat kid less than a year old |
| 2 | Middle High German | quec | — |
| 3 | Old High German | quec | quick |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | kwik(k)w | alive; lively, quick |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | kwikwaz | alive; lively, quick |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷih₃wós | alive, living |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷeih₃w- | to live |
Words derived from “keck”