Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Beetle” come from?

Beetle (English) comes from German Käfer, from Middle High German këvere, from Old High German chevar, from Proto-West Germanic kefrō — beetle.

Beetle (English): A small car, the Volkswagen Beetle

Definitions

  1. A small car, the Volkswagen Beetle

Ancestry of “Beetle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanKäferbeetle; young girl, wench; Volkswagen Type 1...
2Middle High Germankëvere—
3Old High Germanchevar—
4Proto-West Germanickefrōbeetle

Words derived from “Beetle”

  • beetle
  • ladybeetle
  • beetlelike
  • beetlehead
  • beetly
  • dorbeetle
  • beetleweed
  • beetleskin
  • beetlebrain
  • ビートル
Every word from Proto-West Germanic kefrō →