Where does “anthill” come from?

Anthill comes from Middle English ametehul, from Old English ǣmethyll, a compound whose original meaning and components remain uncertain.

anthill (English): A cone-shaped formation constructed from sediment...

Definitions

  1. A cone-shaped formation constructed from sediment...

Ancestry of “anthill”, step by step

anthill traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English ȧnt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishȧnt—
2Middle EnglishampteAn ant; a formicid; A mantid
3Old Englishǣmete—
4Proto-West Germanicāmaitijāant
5Proto-West Germanicuʀ-out, over; off, away
6Proto-Germanicuz-up, out
7Proto-Indo-Europeanuss-—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanuds-up, out
9Proto-Indo-Europeanúdout, outward

via English Hill

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishHilla surname
2Middle Englishhilhill
3Old Englishhyllhill
4Albanianhullifurrow
5Proto-Germanichullizhill
6Proto-Indo-Europeankl̥Hníshill
7Proto-Indo-EuropeankelH-to rise, to be tall; hill

via Old English ǣmethyll

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishǣmethyllanthill

Words derived from “anthill”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European úd →Every word from Proto-Indo-European uds- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European uss- →