Where does “tough” come from?
tough (Middle English) comes from Old English tōh, from Proto-West Germanic *tą̄h(ī), from Proto-Germanic tanhuz, from Proto-Indo-European denḱ- — to bite.
tough (Middle English): Alternative form of tow
Ancestry of “tough”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | tōh | tough, tenacious, holding fast together; pliant;... |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *tą̄h(ī) | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | tanhuz | holding together; clinging; sticky; tenacious;... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | denḱ- | to bite |
Words derived from “tough”