Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “frass” come from?

frass (English) comes from German Fraß, from Middle High German vrāz, from Old High German frāz, from Old High German frëȥȥan, from Proto-Germanic *fraetan, from Proto-Germanic fraetaną, from Proto-Germanic etaną, from Proto-Indo-European h₁édti — to eat.

frass (English): The droppings or excrement of insects; under the...

Definitions

  1. The droppings or excrement of insects; under the...

Ancestry of “frass”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanFraßthe food of an animal, especially its prey; grub;...
2Middle High Germanvrāz—
3Old High Germanfrāz—
4Old High Germanfrëȥȥan—
5Proto-Germanic*fraetan—
6Proto-Germanicfraetanąto devour, eat up, consume
7Proto-Germanicetanąto eat
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁édtito eat
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ed-to eat
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- →