Where does “crisp” come from?
crisp (Middle English) comes from Old French cresp, from Latin Crispus, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- — dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth.
crisp (Middle English): curly
Definitions
- curly
Ancestry of “crisp”, step by step
crisp traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French cresp
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | cresp | — |
| 2 | Latin | Crispus | curly; hair |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ḱer- | dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth |
via Old English crisp
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | crisp | curly |