gnit

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*gʰneHdʰn-
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*gnittǭ
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*gnittā
4. Old English · inherited from*gnitte“gnit; gnat”
5. Middle English · inherited fromgnit
6. English todaygnit

From Middle English gnit, gnitte, from Old English *gnitte (“gnit; gnat”), from Proto-West Germanic *gnittā, from Proto-Germanic *gnittǭ, *gnittō (“gnat; midge”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰneHdʰn-, *gʰneHd- (“to gnaw, scratch”). Cognate with Low German gnid (“gnit”), German Gnitte, Gnitze (“midge, gnat”). Compare also Danish gnid (“gnat”), Swedish gnet (“nit”), Norwegian gnit (“gnat”), Icelandic gnit, nitur (“gnat”). Related to gnat.

Words from the same roots