Where does “bollworm” come from?
bollworm (English) comes from English Worm, from Middle English worm, from Old English wyrm, from Old English lēah, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ- — bright; to shine; to see.
bollworm (English): The larvae of any of various species of moth that...
Definitions
- The larvae of any of various species of moth that...
Ancestry of “bollworm”, step by step
bollworm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Worm
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Worm | A generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid phylum; an earthworm |
| 2 | Middle English | worm | A worm or similar small wormlike animal that... |
| 3 | Old English | wyrm | creeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,... |
| 4 | Old English | lēah | meadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | lauh | clearing; meadow |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | lauhaz | clearing; meadow |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lówkos | clearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | lewḱ- | lynx |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |
via English boll
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | boll | The rounded seed-bearing capsule of a cotton or... |
| 2 | Middle English | bolle | pod; shell |
| 3 | Old English | bolla | bowl |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | bullô | round object; ball; bowl |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | ballô | ball |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |