Where does “bowstring” come from?

Bowstring comes from English bow and English string, with string deriving from Middle Dutch strenge, Old English streng, and Proto-Germanic *strangiz meaning tight or firm.

bowstring (English): The string of an archer's bow; The string of an...

Definitions

  1. The string of an archer's bow; The string of an...

Ancestry of “bowstring”, step by step

bowstring 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 string

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstringA long, thin and flexible structure made from...
2Middle Englishstring—
3Old Englishstrengstring
4Proto-Germanicstrangizstring
5Proto-Indo-Europeanstrengʰ-to twist; rope, cord
6Proto-Indo-Europeanster-sterile, infertile
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰewgʰ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰugʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic bugô →