Where does “cool” come from?
cool (Middle English) comes from Middle English pek, from Middle English pike, from Old English pīc, from Proto-Germanic *pīk, from Latin pix, from Proto-Indo-European pik-, from Proto-Indo-European pi- — sap, juice.
Ancestry of “cool”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | pek | — |
| 2 | Middle English | pike | Alternative form of pyke; pike; sharp point, iron... |
| 3 | Old English | pīc | pointed object, pick axe |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *pīk | — |
| 5 | Latin | pix | pitch, tar |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pik- | to be angry; pitch; resin |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pi- | sap, juice |
Words derived from “cool”