Where does “chin” come from?
chin (Middle English) comes from Old English ċine, from Swahili kinu, from Proto-Germanic kinō, from Proto-Indo-European ǵi-n-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵey- — to split; divide; germinate; sprout; to split;...
chin (Middle English): Alternative form of chyn; crack, fissure, chasm
Definitions
- Alternative form of chyn; crack, fissure, chasm
Ancestry of “chin”, step by step
chin traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English ċine
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | ċine | a crack, chine, chink |
| 2 | Swahili | kinu | mortar |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | kinō | A split; crack; A germ; sprout |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵi-n- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵey- | to split; divide; germinate; sprout; to split;... |
via Old English ċinu
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | ċinu | chink, gap, fissure |