Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bullfrog” come from?

Bullfrog comes from English bull and English ribbit, ultimately from Latin bulla meaning bubble, tracing back to Proto-Indo-European bʰel-.

bullfrog (English): Any of various frogs having a croak that...

Definitions

  1. Any of various frogs having a croak that...

Ancestry of “bullfrog”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishFrogAlternative form of frog
2Portuguesefrocoflock
3Latinfloccustuft, wisp of wool
4Frankishflokkodown, wool, flock
5Proto-Germanic*flukkô—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanplewk-to fly, flow, run; to splash, to flap with hands
7Proto-Indo-Europeanplew-to fly, flow, run
Every word from Proto-Indo-European plew- →