Where does “goatsucker” come from?

goatsucker (English) comes from English sucker, from English suck, from Middle English souken, from Old English sūcan, from Proto-West Germanic sūkan, from Proto-Germanic sūkaną, from Proto-Indo-European sug-, from Proto-Indo-European sew- — to press out, extract; juice; liquid, rain; to...

goatsucker (English): Any bird in the nightjar family Caprimulgidae

Definitions

  1. Any bird in the nightjar family Caprimulgidae

Ancestry of “goatsucker”, step by step

goatsucker traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English sucker

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsuckerA person or animal that sucks, especially a...
2EnglishsuckAn instance of drawing something into one's mouth...
3Middle EnglishsoukenTo suck; to extract or draw with the mouth; To...
4Old Englishsūcanto suck
5Proto-West Germanicsūkanto suck; to suckle
6Proto-Germanicsūkanąto suck; to suckle
7Proto-Indo-Europeansug-
8Proto-Indo-Europeansew-to press out, extract; juice; liquid, rain; to...

via English goat

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgoatA mammal, "Capra aegagrus hircus", and similar...
2EnglishTimeThe inevitable progression into the future with the passing of present and past events
3Middle Englishtymethyme; time; A specific duration or period of...
4Old Frenchthym
5Latinthymumthyme; accusative singular of thymus
6Ancient Greekθύμονthyme
7Ancient GreekθύωI offer in sacrifice, slay, burn, immolate; I...
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sew-Every word from Proto-Indo-European sug-Every word from Proto-Germanic sūkaną