nasty

nasty · adjective, noun, verb¹

1. Old High German · derived fromnaz“wet”
2. Latin · derived from-aster
3. Old French · derived fromnastre“lowly, strange”
4. Middle Dutch · borrowed fromnestich
5. Low German · derived fromnask“nasty”
6. Proto-Germanic · derived from*hnaskuz“tender, soft”
7. Middle English · derived from*nasked“dirty, messy”
8. Middle English · derived from*naskty
9. Middle English · inherited fromnasty
10. English todaynasty

From Middle English nasty, nasti, naxty, naxte (“unclean, filthy”), whence also Early Modern English nasky (“nasty”), of obscure origin. Probably from earlier Middle English *naskty, *naskedy, from Middle English *nasked (“dirty, messy”) + -y, ultimately of North Germanic origin (comparable to Danish nasket (“dirty, foul, unpleasant”), Swedish naskot (“dirty, filthy”), Swedish naskig, naskug (“nasty, dirty, messy”)), themselves all probably related to Proto-Germanic *hnaskuz (“tender, soft”). Likely doublet of nesh and nosh. Cognate with Scots nastie, nestie (“dirty, filthy”). Alternative theories have also been proposed, which include: * From Low German nask (“nasty”) + -y. * Middle Dutch nestich, nistich ("nasty, dirty, unpleasant" > Modern Dutch nestig (“dirty, filthy, unclean; lazy, cranky”)), perhaps ultimately connected to the Scandinavian word above, or related to *nest (“nest”). * From Old French nastre (“lowly, strange”), shortened form of villenastre (“infamous, bad”), from vilein (“villain”) + -astre (pejorative suffix), from Latin -aster. * Other suggestions include Old High German naz (“wet”), hardening of English nesh(y) (“soft”), or alteration of English naughty. * Modern use of the word is sometimes attributed to the popular and often derogatory 19th century American political cartoons of Thomas Nast, but the word predates him.

Nasty · proper noun²

1. Old English · derived fromæt
2. English todayNasty

From Old English æt þæm eastan hæge (“at the eastern hedged enclosure”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. Dirty, filthy.
• from 15th c. Contemptible, unpleasant (of a person).
• from 16th c. Objectionable, unpleasant (of a thing); repellent, offensive.
• from 17th c. Indecent or offensive; obscene, lewd.
• from 19th c. Spiteful, unkind.
• from 19th c. Awkward, difficult to navigate; dangerous.
• from 19th c. Grave or dangerous (of an accident, illness etc.).
• from 20th c. Formidable, terrific; wicked.