Where does “bilberry” come from?
bilberry (English) comes from Old Norse bolli, from Proto-Germanic bullô, from Proto-Germanic ballô, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-.
bilberry (English): "Vaccinium myrtillus", the wild European...
Definitions
- "Vaccinium myrtillus", the wild European...
Ancestry of “bilberry”, step by step
bilberry traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old Norse bolli
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | bolli | goblet, cup |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | bullô | round object; ball; bowl |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | ballô | ball |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |
via Old Norse ber
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | ber | berry |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | bazją | berry |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeh₂- | to shine, glow light; to speak, say |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeh₂-s-ri- | — |