Where does “knave child” come from?

knave child (Middle English) comes from Middle English child, from Old English ċild, from Proto-Germanic kelþaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵelt-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.

knave child (Middle English): male offspring; son

Definitions

  1. male offspring; son

Ancestry of “knave child”, step by step

knave child traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English child

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishchildA baby, infant, toddler; a person in infancy; A...
2Old Englishċildchild, youth; fetus; female baby; child
3Proto-Germanickelþazfetus; newborn; infant; child
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵelt-womb
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow

via Middle English knave

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishknaveson, male child; boy, lad, male child or baby;...
2Old Englishcnafaboy; lad; young man
3Proto-Germanicknabô—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵelt- →Every word from Proto-Germanic kelþaz →