Where does “gnat” come from?
gnat (Middle English) comes from Old English gnætt, from Proto-West Germanic *gnatt, from Proto-Germanic gnattaz, from Proto-Indo-European gʰneHdʰn-, from Proto-Indo-European gʰen- — to gnaw; bite; scratch; grind; to gnaw; bite;...
gnat (Middle English): A gnat or similar insect; Something of little...
Definitions
- A gnat or similar insect; Something of little...
Ancestry of “gnat”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | gnætt | a small flying insect or midge; gnat |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *gnatt | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | gnattaz | A bite or scratch; A biting insect; mosquito |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰneHdʰn- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰen- | to gnaw; bite; scratch; grind; to gnaw; bite;... |
Words derived from “gnat”