Where does “earwig” come from?

earwig (English) comes from Middle English erwigge, from Old English ēarwicga, from Old English ēare, from Proto-West Germanic auʀā, from Proto-Germanic ausô, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ṓws, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ew- — to enjoy; to consume; to perceive, see, to be...

earwig (English): Any of various insects of the order Dermaptera...

Definitions

  1. Any of various insects of the order Dermaptera...

Ancestry of “earwig”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englisherwiggeearwig
2Old Englishēarwicgaan earwig or worm
3Old Englishēareear
4Proto-West Germanicauʀāear
5Proto-Germanicausôear
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ṓwsear
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ew-to enjoy; to consume; to perceive, see, to be...

Words derived from “earwig”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ew- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ṓws →Every word from Proto-Germanic ausô →