Where does “grubwork” come from?

grubwork (English) comes from English work, from Middle English werk, from Old English weorc, from Proto-West Germanic werk, from Proto-Germanic werką, from Proto-Indo-European wérǵom, from Proto-Indo-European werǵ- — to make.

grubwork (English): Tedious digging or research

Definitions

  1. Tedious digging or research

Ancestry of “grubwork”, step by step

grubwork traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English work

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwork"Employment."; "Effort."; Sustained effort to...
2Middle Englishwerkwork
3Old Englishweorcwork, in various senses, including
4Proto-West Germanicwerkwork
5Proto-Germanicwerkąwork
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwérǵomwork
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwerǵ-to make

via English grub

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgrubAn immature stage in the life cycle of an insect;...
2Old Englishgrubbian—
3Proto-Germanicgrubb-—
4Proto-Germanicgrub-to dig
Every word from Proto-Indo-European werǵ- →