Where does “coin” come from?
coin (Middle English) comes from Middle English coyn, from Old French coigne, from Latin cuneus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ḱū, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱ- — sharp.
coin (Middle English): Alternative form of coyn; quince
Definitions
- Alternative form of coyn; quince
Ancestry of “coin”, step by step
coin traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English coyn
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | coyn | A wedge; The impression or imagery on a coin; an... |
| 2 | Old French | coigne | wedge, cornerstone, die for stamping |
| 3 | Latin | cuneus | wedge, wedge shape; troops arrayed in a wedge... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ḱū | sting |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱ- | sharp |
via Old French cooing
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | cooing | quince |
| 2 | Late Latin | cotoneum | a quince |
| 3 | Latin | malum cotoneum | Alternative form of mālum cotōnium; quince tree |
| 4 | Latin | malum Cydonium | Cydonian apple |