Where does “carthorse” come from?

carthorse (English) comes from English horse, from Middle English horse, from Old English hors, from Proto-West Germanic hross, from Proto-Germanic hrussą, from Proto-Indo-European ḱers- — to run.

carthorse (English): A large, strong horse used for pulling heavy...

Definitions

  1. A large, strong horse used for pulling heavy...

Ancestry of “carthorse”, step by step

carthorse traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English horse

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhorseAny of several animals related to "Equus ferus...
2Middle EnglishhorseAlternative form of hors; Alternative form of...
3Old Englishhorshorse
4Proto-West Germanichrosshorse
5Proto-Germanichrussąhorse
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱers-to run

via English cart

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcartA small, open, wheeled vehicle, drawn or pushed...
2Middle Englishcart—
3Old Norsekartrwagon; wagon; cart
4Old Englishlæcca boggy stream
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱers- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hrussą →Every word from Proto-West Germanic hross →