Where does “неужто” come from?

неужто (Russian) comes from Russian уж, from Old East Slavic ѫжь, from Proto-Slavic ǫžь, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ángis, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éngʷʰis — snake.

неужто (Russian): really?, is it possible?, indeed

Definitions

  1. really?, is it possible?, indeed

Ancestry of “неужто”, step by step

неужто traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Russian уж

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianужalready; grass snake
2Old East Slavicѫжьrope
3Proto-Slavicǫžьsnake
4Proto-Balto-Slavic*ángissnake
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éngʷʰissnake

via Russian не

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianнеnot, no, -n't, without; Idiomatic negative usage;...
2Proto-Slavicnenot
3Proto-Balto-Slavicnēnot
4Proto-Indo-Europeannénot; no
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂éngʷʰis →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ángis →Every word from Proto-Slavic ǫžь →