Where does “thing” come from?
thing (Middle English) comes from Old English þing, from Proto-West Germanic þing, from Proto-Germanic þingą, from Proto-Indo-European tenkó-, from Proto-Indo-European tenk- — to be solid, firm; to be suitable; to succeed,...
thing (Middle English): thing
Definitions
- thing
Ancestry of “thing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | þing | event, meeting, court; matter, concern; thing,... |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | þing | court session, lawsuit; affair, matter; thing,... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | þingą | appointed time; date; appointment; meeting;... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | tenkó- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | tenk- | to be solid, firm; to be suitable; to succeed,... |