Where does “Michigander” come from?

Michigander (English) comes from English gander, from Middle English gandre, from Old English gandra, from Old English ganra, from Proto-Germanic *ganʀō, from Proto-Germanic ganzô, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰh₂éns — goose.

Michigander (English): A native or resident of the state of Michigan in the United States of America

Definitions

  1. A native or resident of the state of Michigan in the United States of America

Ancestry of “Michigander”, step by step

Michigander traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English gander

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishganderA male goose; A fool, simpleton; A glance, look
2Middle Englishgandregander
3Old Englishgandra—
4Old Englishganragander, male goose
5Proto-Germanic*ganʀō—
6Proto-Germanicganzôgander
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰh₂énsgoose

via English Michigan

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMichiganA deke consisting of lifting the puck with the...
2Ojibwemishigamigreat lake
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰh₂éns →