English
kith
Kith comes from Middle English kitthe ‘kinsmen, relations’, from Proto-Germanic *kunþiþō ‘knowledge, acquaintance’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- ‘to know’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵneh₃-‘to know’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*kunþiþō‘knowledge, acquaintance’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150cȳþþ‘kinship, kinsfolk, relations’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500kitthe‘kinsmen, relations’
- Englishearliest quotation 1843kith
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵneh₃-‘to know’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*kunþiþō‘knowledge, acquaintance’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150cȳþþ‘kinship, kinsfolk, relations’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500kitthe‘kinsmen, relations’
- Englishearliest quotation 1843kith
Earliest quotation: 1843, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, The Last of the Barons: “Alack, would that Edward listened more to me and…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- ‘to know’
can, know, could, note, normal, notice, recognize, ignore, narrative, glory, recognition, con, noble, ken, notion, keen, ignorant, norm, cognitive, diagnostic, notorious, notation, cunning, prognosis, narration, quaint, nobility, gnome, notoriety, cognition, notary, agnostic, canny, connoisseur, incognito, canna, gnosis, annotate, recognizance, uncouth, 91 more
Today it means
noun Friends and acquaintances.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- / kith