Where does “otter” come from?
otter (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch otter, from Old Dutch ottar, from Proto-West Germanic ot(t)r, from Proto-Germanic utraz, from Proto-Indo-European udrós, from Proto-Indo-European wed-, from Proto-Indo-European wey- — to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...
otter (Dutch): otter
Ancestry of “otter”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | otter | otter, European otter |
| 2 | Old Dutch | ottar | otter |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | ot(t)r | otter |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | utraz | otter |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | udrós | of water, aquatic |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wed- | water |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wey- | to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;... |