Where does “cuckoo-pintle” come from?
cuckoo-pintle (English) comes from Middle English cokkoupintel, from Middle English cokkou, from Old French cucu, from Latin cuculus — cuckoo; a term of reproach.
Ancestry of “cuckoo-pintle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | cokkoupintel | — |
| 2 | Middle English | cokkou | The cuckoo; The sound a cuckoo makes |
| 3 | Old French | cucu | cuckoo |
| 4 | Latin | cuculus | cuckoo; a term of reproach |