Where does “deerness” come from?

deerness (English) comes from English deer, from Middle English der, from Old English dēor, from Proto-West Germanic deuʀ, from Proto-Germanic deuzą, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewsóm, from Proto-Indo-European dʰéws, from Proto-Indo-European dʰwes- — to breathe; breath; spirit, soul > creature.

deerness (English): The state or quality of being a deer

Definitions

  1. The state or quality of being a deer

Ancestry of “deerness”, step by step

deerness traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English deer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishdeera ruminant mammal with antlers and hooves of the...
2Middle EnglishderA wild animal especially a mammal or quadruped
3Old Englishdēoranimal, beast
4Proto-West Germanicdeuʀanimal, beast
5Proto-Germanicdeuząanimal, beast
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewsómliving thing
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰéwsbreath
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰwes-to breathe; breath; spirit, soul > creature

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose

via Proto-Celtic dubros

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Celticdubrosdark; water
2Proto-Indo-Europeandʰubʰrósdeep
3Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
4Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰwes-