English
McQuain
McQuain comes from Irish Mac Cuáin ‘son of Cuán’, from cú ‘hound’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ ‘dog’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱwṓ‘dog’reconstructed
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*kū‘dog’root as named · steps between not traced
- Primitive Irishmodern*ᚉᚒᚅᚐreconstructed
- Old Irishc. 600–900cú‘dog, hound’
- Irishc. 1200–presentsame form‘hound’
- Irish, derivedc. 1200–presentMac Cuáin‘son of Cuán’diminutive of cú
- EnglishtodayMcQuain
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱwṓ‘dog’reconstructed
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*kū‘dog’root as named · steps between not traced
- Primitive Irishmodern*ᚉᚒᚅᚐreconstructed
- Old Irishc. 600–900cú‘dog, hound’
- Irishc. 1200–presentsame form‘hound’
- Irish, derivedc. 1200–presentMac Cuáin‘son of Cuán’diminutive of cú
- EnglishtodayMcQuain
The story
Anglicized form of Irish Mac Cuáin (‘son of Cuán’), a diminutive of cú (‘hound’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- ‘livestock’
fight, fellow, peculiar, fax, feudal, fawn, fain, 25 more
through Proto-Indo-European *péḱu ‘livestock’
fee, feud, feu, pec, pecuniary, 13 more
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ ‘dog’
cynical, hound, kennel, canine, poodle, cynic, chenille, 10 more
Today it means
name A surname from Irish.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ / McQuain