bearish

the term 'bearish' originates from early 18th-century stock market slang. traders likened a market where prices were falling to a bear attacking its prey by swiping its paws downward. this metaphor was derived from the earlier proverb "to sell the bear's skin before one has caught the bear," which described a short seller who sold borrowed shares hoping to buy them back later at a lower price. the adjective-forming suffix '-ish' was appended to 'bear' to create a word describing the characteristic of a declining market. over time, the meaning broadened beyond finance to describe any pessimistic or negative attitude.

Structure: bear (animal/endure) + ish (adjective suffix) bear (old english, a large mammal; also from old english 'beran' meaning to carry or endure) + ish (old english, suffix forming adjectives meaning 'having the qualities of' or 'somewhat')