Where does “candytuft” come from?
candytuft (English) comes from English tuft, from Middle English tuft, from Old French touffe, from Proto-Germanic tuppaz, from Proto-Indo-European dumb- — tail, rod, staff, pole, penis; tail, rod, staff,...
candytuft (English): An annual plant of the genus "Iberis"
Definitions
- An annual plant of the genus "Iberis"
Ancestry of “candytuft”, step by step
candytuft traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English tuft
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | tuft | A bunch of feathers, grass or hair, etc., held... |
| 2 | Middle English | tuft | — |
| 3 | Old French | touffe | tuft |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | tuppaz | tuft, plait; top, summit |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dumb- | tail, rod, staff, pole, penis; tail, rod, staff,... |
via Italian Candia
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian | Candia | the name used by the Venetian occupiers of the... |