Where does “birdling” come from?
birdling (English) comes from English Ling, from Middle English ling, from Old Norse lyng, from Proto-Germanic lingwą, from Proto-Indo-European lengʷʰom, from Proto-Indo-European lengʷʰ- — light, agile, nimble; light, not heavy, agile,...
birdling (English): A little bird; birdie; a nestling
Definitions
- A little bird; birdie; a nestling
Ancestry of “birdling”, step by step
birdling traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English Ling
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ling | Any of various codlike saltwater fish often used as food by humans, those of the genus Molva, in the family Lotidae |
| 2 | Middle English | ling | Any of various varieties of heather or broom |
| 3 | Old Norse | lyng | heather, ling |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lingwą | heather, ling |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lengʷʰom | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lengʷʰ- | light, agile, nimble; light, not heavy, agile,... |
via English bird
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | bird | A member of the class of animals Aves in the... |
| 2 | Middle English | brid | a young bird, a bird in general; Alternative form... |
| 3 | Old English | bridd | young bird, chick; chicken |
via Old English byrdling
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | byrdling | turtle, tortoise |