Where does “deerstalking” come from?
deerstalking (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.
deerstalking (English): The hunting of deer on foot, by stealing upon...
Definitions
- The hunting of deer on foot, by stealing upon...
Ancestry of “deerstalking”, step by step
deerstalking traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English deer
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | deer | a ruminant mammal with antlers and hooves of the... |
| 2 | Middle English | der | A wild animal especially a mammal or quadruped |
| 3 | Old English | dēor | animal, beast |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | deuʀ | animal, beast |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | deuzą | animal, beast |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewsóm | living thing |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰéws | breath |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰwes- | to breathe; breath; spirit, soul > creature |
via English stalking
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | stalking | present participle of stalk; The act of going... |
| 2 | English | stalk | The stem or main axis of a plant, which supports... |
| 3 | Middle English | stalken | to stalk |
| 4 | Old English | stealcian | to stalk |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | stalkaz | high, lofty, steep, stiff |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)tAlg- / -e- | to jut out, protrude |