Where does “bobtail” come from?

bobtail (English) comes from English Tail, from Middle English tayl, from Old English tæġl, from Proto-Germanic taglą, from Proto-Indo-European doḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European deḱ- — take; perceive.

bobtail (English): A short, or deliberately shortened tail; An...

Definitions

  1. A short, or deliberately shortened tail; An...

Ancestry of “bobtail”, step by step

bobtail traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Tail

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishTailA Chinese constellation coinciding with the tail of Scorpius, one of the 28 lunar mansions and the tail of Azure Dragon
2Middle EnglishtaylA tail; The back side or reverse of a creature; A...
3Old Englishtæġltail
4Proto-Germanictagląhair; ponytail; hair of a tail; tail
5Proto-Indo-Europeandoḱ-hair of the tail
6Proto-Indo-Europeandeḱ-take; perceive

via English Bob

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBobA generic male person
2Middle Englishbobbento strike, to shake; to strike, beat, shake, jog
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deḱ-