Where does “broomstick” come from?
Broomstick comes from English broom and stick, with stick deriving from Middle English stikke, Old English sticca, and Proto-Germanic and Proto-Indo-European roots related to piercing or pricking.
broomstick (English): The handle of a broom; A broom imbued with magic,...
Definitions
- The handle of a broom; A broom imbued with magic,...
Ancestry of “broomstick”, step by step
broomstick 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 |