Where does “spay” come from?
spay (Scots) comes from Middle English spa, from Old Norse spá, from Proto-Germanic spahōną, from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- — to see, to look, to observe.
spay (Scots): A prophecy; omen; Alternative form of spae
Definitions
- A prophecy; omen; Alternative form of spae
Ancestry of “spay”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | spa | — |
| 2 | Old Norse | spá | a prophecy; to prophesy, to foretell |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | spahōną | to observe |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | speḱ- | to see, to look, to observe |