Where does “light-witted” come from?
light-witted (Middle English) comes from Middle English light, from Old English lēoht, from Proto-West Germanic leuht, from Proto-Germanic leuhtą, from Proto-Indo-European lewktom, from Proto-Indo-European lewk- — bright; to shine; to see.
Ancestry of “light-witted”, step by step
light-witted traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English light
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | light | The radiation which allows for vision by... |
| 2 | Old English | lēoht | luminous, bright, light, clear, resplendent,... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | leuht | light, bright; light |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | leuhtą | light |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lewktom | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |
via Middle English witted
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | witted | having intelligence or understanding |