niggard (English)
Where does "niggard" come from?
The English word 'niggard' comes from Middle English 'nigard'[1]. This Middle English form developed from 'nig'[1], meaning a niggardly person. The root likely traces back to Scandinavian origins[1], ultimately connecting to the Proto-Germanic form '*hnauwjaz'[1]. This Germanic root also produced the Old English word 'hneaw', which means 'stingy'[1].
Open questions
- The connection between the Middle English form nig and Scandinavian origin remains a possibility rather than a certainty. [1]
Full etymology tree
- niggard (English), 'Sparing; stinting; parsimonious.'
- inherited nigard (Middle English)
- derived nig (Middle English)
- borrowed (North Germanic)
- derived *hnauwjaz (Proto-Germanic)
- borrowed (North Germanic)
- derived nig (Middle English)
- inherited nigard (Middle English)
Cognates and doublets
- Knicker (German)
- njugg (Swedish)
Sources
Updated October 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris