Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “goldfinch” come from?

Goldfinch comes from Middle English goldfinch, from Old English goldfinċ, a compound of gold and finch.

goldfinch (English): Any of several small passerine birds of the finch...

Definitions

  1. Any of several small passerine birds of the finch...

Ancestry of “goldfinch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgoldfinch—
2Old Englishgoldfinċ—
3Old Englishgoldgold
4Proto-Germanicgulþągold
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰl̥tómgold
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰelh₃-to flourish; green, yellow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰelh₃- →