Where does “billycan” come from?
billycan (English) comes from English Billy, from English Bill, from Middle English bill, from Old English bil, from Frankish billi, from Proto-Germanic bilją, from Proto-Germanic harjaz, from Proto-Indo-European kóryos — army.
billycan (English): A lightweight pot for cooking or boiling water,...
Definitions
- A lightweight pot for cooking or boiling water,...
Ancestry of “billycan”, step by step
billycan traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Billy
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Billy | The B-25 twin-engine bomber aircraft used during World War Two, commonly called the "B-25 Mitchell" in honor of U.S. Army General William "Billy" Mitchell |
| 2 | English | Bill | A nickname for the British constabulary. Often called "The Bill" or "Old Bill" |
| 3 | Middle English | bill | — |
| 4 | Old English | bil | a kind of sword or other bladed weapon,... |
| 5 | Frankish | billi | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | bilją | a cutting implement; blade; axe; sword; spike;... |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | harjaz | army; army leader; commander; warrior |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kóryos | war; troops; army; war, troops |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |
via English can
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | can | To know how to; to be able to; May; to be... |
| 2 | Spanish | can | dog, hound |
| 3 | Latin | Canis | a dog, a hound animal |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | δρόμος | race, running; racetrack; course, path |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -ός | Forms agentive or patientive adjectives and nouns from the o-grade of a verbal root |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | *-os | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -ós | Creates agent nouns from verb stems, denoting... |