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Origin and history of spit

spit(v.1)

[expectorate] Old English spittan (Anglian), spætan (West Saxon), "expel (saliva) from the mouth," transitive and intransitive, past tense *spytte, from Proto-Germanic *spitjan, from PIE *sp(y)eu- (of imitative origin; see spew (v.)).

Not the usual Old English word; spætlan (see spittle) and spiwan are more common; all are considered to be from the same root. To spit (especially at someone) as a gesture of contempt is in Old English. Related: Spat; spitting. Also compare spitting image.

spit(n.1)

[saliva], early 14c., "fluid secreted by the glands of the mouth," from spit (v.1). By 1650s as "an act of spitting."

The meaning "the very likeness, exact image" in modern use is attested from 1805 (compare spitting image, under the verb); compare French craché in same sense. Spit-curl, "lock of hair curled and lying flat on the temple" (1831), was originally colloquial or vulgar. The military phrase spit and polish indicating precise correctness (often derogatory) is recorded by 1895.

also from early 14c.

spit(n.2)

[sharp-pointed rod or bar for roasting meat], late Old English spitu "a spit" in cooking, from Proto-Germanic *spituz, (source also of Middle Dutch and Dutch spit, Swedish spett (which perhaps is from Low German), Old High German spiz, German Spieß "roasting spit," German spitz "pointed" (from PIE *spei- "sharp point;" see spike (n.1)).

This is also the word meaning "sandy point or long, narrow shoal running from a shore into a sea" (1670s). Old French espois, Spanish espeto "spit," Italian spiedo, spiede "a spear" are Germanic loan-words.

spit(v.2)

[put on a spit, thrust with a spit] c. 1200, spiten, from late Old English sputtian "to spit" (for cooking), from spit (n.2). The meaning "pierce with a weapon, transfix, impale" is from early 15c. Related: Spitted; spitting. Nares' Glossary has spit-frog "a small sword."

also from c. 1200

Entries linking to spit

spew(v.)

Middle English speuen, "vomit, throw up, spit or cough up," also figurative, from Old English spiwan "spew, spit," from Proto-Germanic *spiewan- (source also of Old Saxon spiwan, Old Norse spyja, Old Frisian spiwa, Middle Dutch spijen, Dutch spuwen, Old High German spiwan, German speien, Gothic spiewan "to spit"), probably of imitative origin (compare Latin spuere; Greek ptuein, Doric psyttein; Old Church Slavonic pljuja, Russian plevati; Lithuanian spiauti).

Also in Old English as a weak verb, speowan, spiwian; the weak form predominated from Middle English. The general sense of "eject or cast out as if by vomiting" is by 1590s. The intransitive sense is by 1660s. Related: Spewed; spewing.

spike(n.1)

"large nail," usually of iron, mid-14c., perhaps from or related to a Scandinavian word, such as Old Norse spik "splinter," Middle Swedish spijk "nail," from Proto-Germanic *spikaz (source also of Middle Dutch spicher, Dutch spijker "nail," Old English spicing "large nail," Old English spaca, Old High German speihha "spoke").

In older sources this is reconstructed to be from a PIE root *spei- "sharp point," source also of Latin spica "ear of corn," spina "thorn, prickle, backbone," and perhaps pinna "pin;" Greek spilas "rock, cliff;" Lettish spile "wooden fork;" Lithuanian speigliai "thorns," spitna "tongue of a buckle;" Old English spitu "spit." But de Vaan finds only the Germanic, Latin, and perhaps Lithuanian words connected and offers no further etymology.

The English word also might be influenced by and partly a borrowing of Latin spica (see spike (n.2)), from the same root. The general sense of "short, sharp point; pointed projection" is by 1718. The slang meaning "needle" is from 1923. The meaning "pointed stud in athletic shoes" is from 1832. The electrical sense of "pulse of short duration" is from 1935. Spike-heel as a type of women's shoe is attested by 1929.