Where does “druggist” come from?

Druggist comes from French droguiste, formed from Middle Dutch droge meaning dry goods or drugs, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- meaning to hold or support.

druggist (English): A manufacturer and vendor of drugs and medicines

Definitions

  1. A manufacturer and vendor of drugs and medicines

Ancestry of “druggist”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchdroguistedruggist
2Frenchdroguedrug
3Middle Frenchdroguedrug
4Old Frenchdrogue
5Old Frenchdrocgue
6Middle Dutchdrôgedry
7Old Dutchdrōgidry
8Proto-West Germanic*draugīdry
9Proto-Germanicdraugizhard, solid; dry
10Proto-Indo-Europeandʰerǵʰ-to strengthen; to strengthen; become hard; to...
11Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰerǵʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic draugiz