Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “beaver” come from?

Beaver comes from Middle English bever, from Old English beofor, from Latin bibo meaning "to drink," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European peh₃- and bʰer-.

beaver (English): A semiaquatic rodent of the genus "Castor",...

Definitions

  1. A semiaquatic rodent of the genus "Castor",...

Ancestry of “beaver”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishbeverA beaver; Beaver fur, skin, or pelt, or a similar...
2Anglo-NormanbeverAlternative form of beivre; beaver
3Latinbibō—
4Latin-ilis-ile
5Proto-Italic-elis—
6Proto-Indo-European-elis—
7Proto-Indo-European-lósForms agent nouns from verbal roots

Words derived from “beaver”

  • Beaver
  • Beaverton
  • beavering
  • beavertail
  • beavered
  • beaverskin
  • beaverboard
  • beaverlike
  • beave
  • beavery
  • beaverette
  • beaverite
  • beaverling
  • werebeaver
  • beaverwood
  • beaverkin
  • ビーバー
  • 비버
  • biv
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -lós →