Etymograph

English

gewgaw

Gewgaw comes from Middle English givegove ‘gewgaw, trifle’, from Proto-Germanic *gebō ‘gift’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ- ‘to give, move’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰebʰ-‘to give, move’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰebʰ-e-tireconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gebaną‘to give’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gebō‘gift’reconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*gebureconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150giefu
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500give
  8. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500givegove‘gewgaw, trifle’reduplication of give
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1678gewgaw

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰebʰ-‘to give, move’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰebʰ-e-tireconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gebaną‘to give’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gebō‘gift’reconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*gebureconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150giefu
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500give
  8. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500givegove‘gewgaw, trifle’reduplication of give
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1678gewgaw

Earliest quotation: 1678, Dryden, John: “The rattle of a globe to play withal, This…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ- ‘to give, move’

hydrocephalus, cephalic, 15 more

through Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-e-ti

forgive, gavel

through Proto-Germanic *gebaną ‘to give’

give, gave, gift, 5 more

Today it means

noun A showy trifle, a toy; a showy trinket, ornament or decoration.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ- / gewgaw

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