Where does “Spur” come from?
Spur derives from Old English spor, which traces to Proto-Indo-European sper-, ultimately from Ancient Greek σπαίρω meaning to kick or thrash about.
Spur (English): A rigid implement, often roughly y-shaped, that...
Definitions
- A rigid implement, often roughly y-shaped, that...
Ancestry of “Spur”, step by step
Spur traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English spure
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | spure | Alternative form of spore; Alternative form of... |
| 2 | Old English | spora | — |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *spurō | spur |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | spurô | spur |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sper- | to fidget, twitch; to push; to be quick; to... |
via Middle English spore
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | spore | A spur; a prod for horses at the back of one's... |