Where does “smertinge” come from?
smertinge (Middle English) comes from Old English smeortung, from Old English smeortan, from Proto-Germanic smertaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)merd- — to bite, to sting.
Ancestry of “smertinge”, step by step
smertinge traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English smeortung
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | smeortung | a smarting, an itching |
| 2 | Old English | smeortan | to smart; hurt |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | smertaną | to hurt |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)merd- | to bite, to sting |
via Old English smertung
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | smertung | smarting, itching |