Where does “deerstealer” come from?

deerstealer (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.

deerstealer (English): One who steals or illicitly takes a deer, especially in England in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries

Definitions

  1. One who steals or illicitly takes a deer, especially in England in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries

Ancestry of “deerstealer”, step by step

deerstealer traces back through two 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 stealer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstealerOne who steals; a thief; The endmost plank of a...
2Middle Englishstelere
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰwes-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰéwsEvery word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewsóm