Where does “broomsedge” come from?
broomsedge (English) comes from English broom, from Middle English brom, from Old English brōm, from Proto-West Germanic *brām, from Proto-Indo-European bʰrem-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- — to bear, carry.
broomsedge (English): Any species of grass in the genus "Andropogon",...
Definitions
- Any species of grass in the genus "Andropogon",...
Ancestry of “broomsedge”, step by step
broomsedge traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English broom
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | broom | A domestic utensil with fibers bound together at... |
| 2 | Middle English | brom | Broom shrub of the family |
| 3 | Old English | brōm | brushwood; broom; broom shrub |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *brām | blackberry, bramble |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrem- | to make noise |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |
via English sedge
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sedge | Any plant of the genus "Carex", the true sedges,... |
| 2 | Middle English | segge | A sedge; The sliced stems of sedges; A person; an... |
| 3 | Old English | seċġ | sedge; man |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | sagi | retainer, warrior; sedge |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | sagjaz | retainer, warrior; sedge |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷ- | to follow; to see; to say |