Where does “cynicke” come from?
cynicke (Middle English) comes from Middle French cinicque, from Latin cynicus, from Ancient Greek κυνικός, from Ancient Greek Κυνόσαργες, from Ancient Greek κύων, from Ancient Greek μῦς, from Proto-Hellenic *mū́s, from Proto-Indo-Iranian múHs — mouse.
Ancestry of “cynicke”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | cinicque | — |
| 2 | Latin | cynicus | Cynic |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | κυνικός | doglike |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | Κυνόσαργες | — |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | κύων | a dog; a bitch; an offensive person |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | μῦς | mouse; A type of mussel; A type of whale |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | *mū́s | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | múHs | mouse |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | múh₂s | mouse |