Where does “birdglue” come from?

birdglue (English) comes from English glue, from Middle English glue, from Old French glu, from Latin glūten, from Proto-Italic gloiten, from Proto-Indo-European glóh₁ytn̥, from Proto-Indo-European gleh₁y-, from Proto-Indo-European gleh₁- — to bend, arch.

Ancestry of “birdglue”, step by step

birdglue traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English glue

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishglueA hard gelatin made by boiling bones and hides,...
2Middle EnglishglueAlternative form of glew; Alternative form of...
3Old Frenchgluglue, birdlime
4Latinglūtenglue
5Proto-Italicgloiten
6Proto-Indo-Europeanglóh₁ytn̥
7Proto-Indo-Europeangleh₁y-to smear, putty; to stick, glue
8Proto-Indo-Europeangleh₁-ball, lump
9Proto-Indo-Europeangewl-vessel; ball; vessel, bowl, ball; ball, bowl,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeangēw-to bend, arch

via German Vogelleim

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanVogelleimbirdlime, birdglue
2Germanvogela bird
3Middle High Germanvogelbird
4Old High Germanfogalbird
5Proto-West Germanicfuglbird
6Proto-Germanicfuglazbird
7Proto-Germanicfluglaz
8Proto-Germanicfleuganąto fly
9Proto-Indo-Europeanplewk-to fly, flow, run; to splash, to flap with hands
10Proto-Indo-Europeanplew-to fly, flow, run

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 gēw-
birdglue — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer