Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fleabite” come from?

fleabite (English) comes from English bite, from Middle English biten, from Old English betēon, from Old English tēon, from Old English tēohan, from Proto-West Germanic teuhan, from Proto-Germanic teuhaną, from Proto-Indo-European dewk- — to pull, to draw; to lead.

fleabite (English): The bite of a flea, or the mark caused by such a...

Definitions

  1. The bite of a flea, or the mark caused by such a...

Ancestry of “fleabite”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbiteTo cut into something by clamping the teeth; To...
2Middle Englishbitento bite
3Old Englishbetēonto cover, surround, enclose; to cover, surround,...
4Old Englishtēonto drag, draw, pull; to train, discipline; to...
5Old Englishtēohan—
6Proto-West Germanicteuhanto pull; to lead
7Proto-Germanicteuhanąto lead; to pull behind oneself, draw, drag
8Proto-Indo-Europeandewk-to pull, to draw; to lead
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dewk- →