Where does “어이없다” come from?
어이없다 (Korean) comes from Korean 없다, from Middle Korean 없다.
어이없다 (Korean): dumbfounded, ridiculous
Definitions
- dumbfounded, ridiculous
Ancestry of “어이없다”, step by step
어이없다 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Korean 없다
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korean | 없다 | to have none; lacking; nonexistent; to die |
| 2 | Middle Korean | 없다 | — |
via Korean 어이
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korean | 어이 | hey, yo (informal, mostly used between male close friends) |