Where does “motxilla” come from?
motxilla (Catalan) comes from Spanish mochila, from Spanish mochil, from Basque motxil, from Basque motil, from Proto-Slavic motyľь — butterfly, moth.
motxilla (Catalan): backpack
Ancestry of “motxilla”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Spanish | mochila | backpack |
| 2 | Spanish | mochil | errand boy, messenger boy, especially for farmers |
| 3 | Basque | motxil | — |
| 4 | Basque | motil | boy |
| 5 | Proto-Slavic | motyľь | butterfly, moth |