Where does “smiten” come from?
smiten (Middle English) comes from Old English smiten, from Proto-Germanic smitanaz, from Proto-Germanic smītaną, from Proto-Indo-European smeyd- — to smear, whick, strike, rub; to smear, whisk,...
smiten (Middle English): To fight, enter combat, attack; To strike, land...
Definitions
- To fight, enter combat, attack; To strike, land...
Ancestry of “smiten”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | smiten | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | smitanaz | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | smītaną | to cast; sling; hurl; to hit; strike; to smear;... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | smeyd- | to smear, whick, strike, rub; to smear, whisk,... |
Words derived from “smiten”