Where does “brushtail possum” come from?
brushtail possum (English) comes from English brush, from Middle English brusshe, from Old French broisse, from Vulgar Latin brustia, from Icelandic bursti, from Proto-Germanic burstiz, from Proto-Germanic bʰurstís, from Proto-Indo-European bʰr̥s-tí-s — top, tip, point.
brushtail possum (English): A nocturnal, arboreal, Australian possum,...
Definitions
- A nocturnal, arboreal, Australian possum,...
Ancestry of “brushtail possum”, step by step
brushtail possum traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English brush
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | brush | An implement consisting of multiple more or less... |
| 2 | Middle English | brusshe | — |
| 3 | Old French | broisse | — |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | brustia | — |
| 5 | Icelandic | bursti | brush |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | burstiz | bristle |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | bʰurstís | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰr̥s-tí-s | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰers- | top, tip, point |
via English tail
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | tail | The caudal appendage of an animal that is... |
| 2 | Middle English | tail | Alternative form of tayl |
| 3 | Middle English | tayl | A tail; The back side or reverse of a creature; A... |
| 4 | Old English | tæġl | tail |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | taglą | hair; ponytail; hair of a tail; tail |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | doḱ- | hair of the tail |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | deḱ- | take; perceive |