Where does “Worm” come from?
Worm (English) comes from Middle English worm, from Old English wyrm, from Old English lēah, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European lewk- — bright; to shine; to see.
Ancestry of “Worm”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | worm | A worm or similar small wormlike animal that... |
| 2 | Old English | wyrm | creeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,... |
| 3 | Old English | lēah | meadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | lauh | clearing; meadow |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | lauhaz | clearing; meadow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lówkos | clearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lewḱ- | lynx |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |