Where does “spy” come from?
spy (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Old Norse spýja, from Proto-Germanic spīwaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ptyēw- — to spit, vomit.
spy (Norwegian Nynorsk): to vomit; to lay eggs; vomit, sick
Definitions
- to vomit; to lay eggs; vomit, sick
Ancestry of “spy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | spýja | to spew, to vomit; vomit |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | spīwaną | to spew, to spit |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ptyēw- | to spit, vomit |