English
joss
Joss comes from Chinese Pidgin English joss, from Portuguese deus ‘god’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dyew- ‘sky, heaven’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dyew-‘sky, heaven’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*deywós‘god/that which belongs to heaven’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*deiwosreconstructed
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEdeivos
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdeus‘god’
- Old Galician-Portuguesec. 1100–1500same form‘God’
- Portuguesec. 1500–presentsame form‘god’
- Chinese Pidgin Englishmodernjoss
- Englishearliest quotation 1939same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dyew-‘sky, heaven’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*deywós‘god/that which belongs to heaven’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*deiwosreconstructed
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEdeivos
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdeus‘god’
- Old Galician-Portuguesec. 1100–1500same form‘God’
- Portuguesec. 1500–presentsame form‘god’
- Chinese Pidgin Englishmodernjoss
- Englishearliest quotation 1939same form
Earliest quotation: 1939, Philip George Chadwick, The Death Guard: “Don't forget they're mostly just joss-worshipping heathen an' they…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dyew- ‘sky, heaven’
die, journal, journey, diary, dial, dev, meridian, diurnal, sojourn, jovial, deism, 29 more
through Proto-Indo-European *deywós ‘god/that which belongs to heaven’
through Proto-Italic *deiwos
divinity, diva, divination, diviner, 11 more
through Old Latin deivos
through Latin deus ‘god’
deity, deuce, deist, deification, 9 more
Today it means
noun A Chinese household divinity; a Chinese idol.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dyew- / joss