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

bullfrog traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Frog

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

via English Bull

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBullThe constellation and zodiacal sign Taurus
2Middle Englishbullfalsehood

Words derived from “bullfrog”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European plew- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European plewk- →Every word from Proto-Germanic *flukkô →