Where does “fleshworm” come from?
fleshworm (English) comes from English Worm, from Middle English worm, from Old English wyrm, from Old English lēah, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ- — bright; to shine; to see.
fleshworm (English): A worm that feeds on flesh
Definitions
- A worm that feeds on flesh
Ancestry of “fleshworm”, step by step
fleshworm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Worm
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Worm | A generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid phylum; an earthworm |
| 2 | Middle English | worm | A worm or similar small wormlike animal that... |
| 3 | Old English | wyrm | creeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,... |
| 4 | Old English | lēah | meadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | lauh | clearing; meadow |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | lauhaz | clearing; meadow |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lówkos | clearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | lewḱ- | lynx |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |
via English flesh
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | flesh | The soft tissue of the body, especially muscle... |
| 2 | Middle English | flesh | flesh; A communion wafer; A muscle |
| 3 | Old English | flǣsċ | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | flaiski | meat, flesh |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | flaiski | meat, flesh |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pleh₁ḱ- | to tear, peel off; to tear, rend |