Etymology Explorer › Russian

Where does “медвежья услуга” come from?

медвежья услуга (Russian) comes from Russian медве́жий, from Russian медве́дь, from Old East Slavic медвѣдь, from Proto-Slavic medvědь, from Proto-Slavic medu-ēdis.

медвежья услуга (Russian): disservice, more harm than good

Definitions

  1. disservice, more harm than good

Ancestry of “медвежья услуга”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianмедве́жийbear's
2Russianмедве́дьbear
3Old East Slavicмедвѣдьbear
4Proto-Slavicmedvědьbear
5Proto-Slavicmedu-ēdis—
Every word from Proto-Slavic medu-ēdis →