Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bucketload” come from?

bucketload (English) comes from English bucket, from Middle English boket, from Anglo-Norman buket, from Old French buc, from Latin buccus, from Frankish bukk, from Proto-Germanic *bukkaz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰuǵ- — young he-goat.

bucketload (English): As much as a bucket can hold; A large amount

Definitions

  1. As much as a bucket can hold; A large amount

Ancestry of “bucketload”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbucketA container made of rigid material, often with a...
2Middle Englishboket—
3Anglo-Normanbukettub, pail; bucket
4Old Frenchbucabdomen; object with a cavity; trunk, torso;...
5Latinbuccushe-goat
6Frankishbukkmale goat; buck, goat; buck, male goat
7Proto-Germanic*bukkaz—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰuǵ-buck, he-goat
9Proto-North CaucasianbVχc̣V—
10Proto-North CaucasianbVc̣Vyoung he-goat
Every word from Proto-North Caucasian bVc̣V →