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

  1. pen; a long feather of a bird; pin

Ancestry of “pen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchpenne—
2Old Frenchpennefeather
3Latinpennawing; feather, especially a flight-feather;...
4Proto-Italicpetnāfeather; wing
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpéth₂r̥wing; feather
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpeth₂-to spread out; to fly

Words derived from “pen”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European péth₂r̥ →Every word from Proto-Italic petnā →