Where does “donkey” come from?
Donkey derives from Middle English donekie, from Middle English don, from Old English dunn, from Proto-Germanic dōną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁-.
donkey (English): a domestic animal, Equus asinus asinus, similar...
Definitions
- a domestic animal, Equus asinus asinus, similar...
Ancestry of “donkey”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | donekie | a miniature dun horse |
| 2 | Middle English | don | To do, perform; To complete, finish; To make,... |
| 3 | Old English | dōn | to do |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | dōn | to do; to put, to place |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | dōną | to do, make; to put, place |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰéh₁t | to put, to place; to do |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰeh₁- | to do, put, place |