Where does “hamster” come from?
Hamster derives from German Hamster, from Middle High German hamster, from Old High German hamastra, from Old East Slavic хомѣсторъ, ultimately from Old East Slavic хомѣкъ.
hamster (English): Any of various Old-World rodent species belonging...
Definitions
- Any of various Old-World rodent species belonging...
Ancestry of “hamster”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | hamster | singular imperative of hamstern |
| 2 | Middle High German | hamster | hamster |
| 3 | Old High German | hamustro | hamster |
| 4 | Old East Slavic | хомѣсторъ | hamster |
| 5 | Proto-Slavic | *xoměstorъ | hamster |