Where does “cowbane” come from?

cowbane (English) comes from English bane, from Middle English bane, from Old English Bana, from Proto-Germanic banō, from Proto-Germanic banô, from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰon-on-, from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰen-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰon-.

cowbane (English): Any of several related poisonous plants of the...

Definitions

  1. Any of several related poisonous plants of the...

Ancestry of “cowbane”, step by step

cowbane traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English bane

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbaneA cause of misery or death; Poison, especially...
2Middle Englishbanemurderer, slayer; bane, destroyer; Alternative...
3Old EnglishBanamurderer
4Proto-Germanicbanōa battlefield; a clearing; open space; a cleared...
5Proto-Germanicbanômurderer
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʷʰon-on-
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʷʰen-to strike, slay, kill
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰon-

via English cow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcowAn adult female of the species "Bos taurus",...
2Middle EnglishcowAlternative form of cou
3Old Englishcow
4Proto-West Germanic*kōcow
5Proto-Germanic*kōzcow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰon-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰen-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰon-on-
cowbane — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer