Where does “fruitworm” come from?

fruitworm (English) comes from English fruit, from French fruit, from Middle French fruict, from Old French fruit, from Latin frūctus, from Ancient Greek δῶρον, from Proto-Hellenic dṓron, from Proto-Indo-European déh₃rom — to give.

fruitworm (English): The larva of any of several moths; they are responsible for damage to many types of fruit crop

Definitions

  1. The larva of any of several moths; they are responsible for damage to many types of fruit crop

Ancestry of “fruitworm”, step by step

fruitworm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English fruit

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfruitIn general, a product of plant growth useful to...
2Frenchfruitfruit
3Middle Frenchfruictfruit
4Old Frenchfruitfruit
5Latinfrūctusenjoyed; having derived pleasure from
6Ancient Greekδῶρονgift; hand's width
7Proto-Hellenicdṓrongift
8Proto-Indo-Europeandéh₃romgift
9Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₃-to give

via English Worm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWormA generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid phylum; an earthworm
2Middle EnglishwormA worm or similar small wormlike animal that...
3Old Englishwyrmcreeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,...
4Old Englishlēahmeadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,...
5Proto-West Germaniclauhclearing; meadow
6Proto-Germaniclauhazclearing; meadow
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlówkosclearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlewḱ-lynx
9Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deh₃-Every word from Proto-Indo-European déh₃romEvery word from Proto-Hellenic dṓron