Where does “fiddlestring” come from?

fiddlestring (English) comes from English string, from Middle English string, from Old English streng, from Proto-Germanic strangiz, from Proto-Indo-European strengʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European ster- — sterile, infertile.

fiddlestring (English): One of the strings of a fiddle

Definitions

  1. One of the strings of a fiddle

Ancestry of “fiddlestring”, step by step

fiddlestring traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English string

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstringA long, thin and flexible structure made from...
2Middle Englishstring
3Old Englishstrengstring
4Proto-Germanicstrangizstring
5Proto-Indo-Europeanstrengʰ-to twist; rope, cord
6Proto-Indo-Europeanster-sterile, infertile

via English fiddle

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfiddleAny of various bowed string instruments, often a...
2Middle EnglishfiþeleA string instrument played with a bow; a viol
3Old Englishfiþelefiddle, viol, violin
4Medieval Latinvitulastringed instrument
5LatinVitulathe Roman goddess of joy and victory. See
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ster-Every word from Proto-Indo-European strengʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic strangiz