quaint

The story

1. Latin · derived fromcognitus
2. Old French · derived fromcointe“pretty, clever, knowing”
3. Anglo-Norman · derived fromcointe
4. Middle English · inherited fromqueynte
5. English todayquaint

From Middle English queynte, quoynte, from Anglo-Norman cointe, queinte and Old French cointe (“pretty, clever, knowing”), from Latin cognitus, past participle of cognōscō (“to know”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 13th–19th c. Of a person: cunning, crafty.
• 14th–19th c. Cleverly made; artfully contrived.
• from 14th c. Strange or odd; unusual.
• 15th–19th c. Overly discriminating or needlessly meticulous; fastidious; prim.
• from 18th c. Pleasingly unusual; especially, having old-fashioned charm.
• from 14th c. The vulva.