Where does “duckling” come from?
Duckling comes from Middle English dokeling, formed from Middle English duce, from Old English duce with the diminutive suffix -a, ultimately from Proto-Germanic -ilaz and Proto-Indo-European -elo-.
duckling (English): A young duck
Definitions
- A young duck
Ancestry of “duckling”, step by step
duckling traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Duck
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Duck | To quickly lower (the head or body), often in order to prevent it from being struck by something |
| 2 | Dutch | doek | cloth, linen, fabric; a piece of cloth; screen,... |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | doec | cloth |
| 4 | Old Dutch | duok | — |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | dōk | cloth, rag |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | dōkaz | cloth, rag |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dwōg- | — |
via Middle English dokeling
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | dokeling | duckling |