Where does “birdfeed” come from?

birdfeed (English) comes from English feed, from Galician feden, from Old English fēdan, from Proto-West Germanic *fōdijan, from Proto-Germanic fōdijaną, from Proto-Indo-European peh₂- — to protect; to shepherd.

birdfeed (English): Food intended for birds. Often a mixture of...

Definitions

  1. Food intended for birds. Often a mixture of...

Ancestry of “birdfeed”, step by step

birdfeed traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English feed

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfeedTo give food to eat; To eat; To give to as...
2Galicianfedenthird-person plural present indicative of feder
3Old Englishfēdanto feed
4Proto-West Germanic*fōdijanto feed
5Proto-Germanicfōdijanąto feed; to give birth
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂-to protect; to shepherd

via English bird

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbirdA member of the class of animals Aves in the...
2Middle Englishbrida young bird, a bird in general; Alternative form...
3Old Englishbriddyoung bird, chick; chicken
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂- →