Where does “duckweed” come from?

duckweed (English) comes from English Duck, from Dutch doek, from Middle Dutch doec, from Old Dutch duok, from Proto-West Germanic dōk, from Proto-Germanic dōkaz, from Proto-Indo-European dwōg-.

duckweed (English): Any of several reduced floating aquatic plants in...

Definitions

  1. Any of several reduced floating aquatic plants in...

Ancestry of “duckweed”, step by step

duckweed traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Duck

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishDuckTo quickly lower (the head or body), often in order to prevent it from being struck by something
2Dutchdoekcloth, linen, fabric; a piece of cloth; screen,...
3Middle Dutchdoeccloth
4Old Dutchduok
5Proto-West Germanicdōkcloth, rag
6Proto-Germanicdōkazcloth, rag
7Proto-Indo-Europeandwōg-

via English weed

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishweedAny plant regarded as unwanted at the place...
2Middle Englishweed
3Old Englishwēodweed
4Proto-West Germanic*weudweed (unwanted plant)
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dwōg-Every word from Proto-Germanic dōkazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic dōk