Where does “bowleg” come from?

bowleg (English) comes from English bow, from Middle English bowe, from Old English boga, from Proto-West Germanic bogō, from Proto-Germanic bugô, from Proto-Indo-European bʰugʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰewgʰ- — to bend; curve, arch.

bowleg (English): A leg that curves outward at the knee. It might...

Definitions

  1. A leg that curves outward at the knee. It might...

Ancestry of “bowleg”, step by step

bowleg traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English bow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbowA weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other...
2Middle Englishbowebow; bowman
3Old Englishbogabow; arch
4Proto-West Germanicbogōarch, bow; bow
5Proto-Germanicbugôbow
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰugʰ-bow; arch
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰewgʰ-to bend; curve, arch

via English leg

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlegA limb or appendage that an animal uses for...
2Middle Englishlegleg, limb; shank, shin; leg
3Old Norseleggrleg, stem
4Proto-Germaniclagjazleg, thigh
5Proto-Indo-European(ǝ)lak-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰewgʰ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰugʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic bugô →