Where does “pen” come from?
pen (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch penne, from Old French penne, from Latin penna, from Proto-Italic petnā, from Proto-Indo-European péth₂r̥, from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- — to spread out; to fly.
pen (Dutch): pen; a long feather of a bird; pin
Definitions
- pen; a long feather of a bird; pin
Ancestry of “pen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | penne | — |
| 2 | Old French | penne | feather |
| 3 | Latin | penna | wing; feather, especially a flight-feather;... |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | petnā | feather; wing |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | péth₂r̥ | wing; feather |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | peth₂- | to spread out; to fly |