Where does “North American bison” come from?

North American bison (English) comes from English bison, from Middle English bisontes, from Old French bison, from Latin bisōn, from Proto-Germanic wisundaz, from Proto-Indo-European wisAn-, from Proto-Indo-European weys- — to raise, increase; to produce, procreate.

North American bison (English): Bison bison

Definitions

  1. Bison bison

Ancestry of “North American bison”, step by step

North American bison traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English bison

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbisonA wild ox, Bison bonasus; A similar North...
2Middle Englishbisontes
3Old Frenchbison
4Latinbisōnbison (Bison bonasus)
5Proto-Germanicwisundazbison, wisent; wild ox, aurochs
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanwisAn-aurochs, aurochs horn
7Proto-Indo-Europeanweys-to raise, increase; to produce, procreate

via English North American

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNorth Americanof, or relating to North America; A person from...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weys-Every word from Proto-Indo-European wisAn-Every word from Proto-Germanic wisundaz