Where does “underdog” come from?
underdog (Swedish) comes from English underdog, from English dog, from English dogshit, from English shit, from Middle Dutch schite, from Old Dutch skīta, from Old Saxon skiti, from Proto-Germanic skītaz — to cut, part, spearate, divide; to cut, part,...
underdog (Swedish): underdog
Definitions
- underdog
Ancestry of “underdog”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | underdog | A competitor thought unlikely to win; Somebody at... |
| 2 | English | dog | A mammal, "Canis familiaris" or "Canis lupus... |
| 3 | English | dogshit | Dog excrement; Something disgusting, abominable,... |
| 4 | English | shit | Solid excretory product evacuated from the... |
| 5 | Middle Dutch | schite | — |
| 6 | Old Dutch | skīta | — |
| 7 | Old Saxon | skiti | — |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | skītaz | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱeyd- | to shade; to cut off; to part with, separate, cut... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱēy- | to shine; to shimmer; shadow; luster, gloss,... |
| 11 | Proto-Germanic | skaidą | separation, distinction |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | skÁit- | to cut, part, spearate, divide; to cut, part,... |