poteen

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*puttaz“pot, jar; tub”
2. Middle English · derived frompotte
3. Irish · derived frompoitín“little pot; poteen”
4. English todaypoteen

From Irish poitín (“little pot; poteen”), from pota (“pot”) (from Middle English potte, Proto-Germanic *puttaz (“pot, jar; tub”), of unknown origin) + -ín (diminutive suffix).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from early 19th c. Illegally produced Irish whiskey; moonshine.