Where does “earmark” come from?
Earmark comes from Middle English ere, Old English ǣr, and Proto-Indo-European roots h₂erh₃-, h₂ous-, ker-, and h₁ésmi, tracing a semantic path through concepts of early timing and existence.
earmark (English): To mark by slitting the ear; To specify or set...
Definitions
- To mark by slitting the ear; To specify or set...
Ancestry of “earmark”, step by step
earmark traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Mark
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Mark | Abbreviation of Markarian |
| 2 | German | mark | mark any of various European monetary units |
| 3 | Latin | Mārcus | — |
| 4 | Latin | Martīnus | — |
| 5 | Latin | -īnus | of or pertaining to; -ine |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -īnos | of/belonging to |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -iHnos | Creates adjectives of materials |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -no- | adjectival suffix |
via English ear
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ear | The organ of hearing, consisting of the pinna,... |
| 2 | Middle English | ēre | The ear organ that receives sound |
| 3 | Old English | ēare | ear |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | auʀā | ear |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | ausô | ear |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ṓws | ear |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ew- | to enjoy; to consume; to perceive, see, to be... |