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
- Any of several small passerine birds of the finch...
Ancestry of “goldfinch”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | goldfinch | — |
| 2 | Old English | goldfinċ | goldfinch bird |
| 3 | Old English | gold | gold |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | gulþą | gold |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰl̥tóm | gold |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰelh₃- | to flourish; green, yellow |
Words derived from “goldfinch”