Where does “heronsbill” come from?
heronsbill (English) comes from English Bill, from Middle English bill, from Old English bil, from Frankish billi, from Proto-Germanic bilją, from Proto-Germanic harjaz, from Proto-Indo-European kóryos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱer- — army.
Ancestry of “heronsbill”, step by step
heronsbill traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Bill
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Bill | A nickname for the British constabulary. Often called "The Bill" or "Old Bill" |
| 2 | Middle English | bill | — |
| 3 | Old English | bil | a kind of sword or other bladed weapon,... |
| 4 | Frankish | billi | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bilją | a cutting implement; blade; axe; sword; spike;... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | harjaz | army; army leader; commander; warrior |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kóryos | war; troops; army; war, troops |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |
via English heron
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | heron | A long-legged, long-necked wading bird of the... |
| 2 | Middle English | heron | the grey heron, or (rarely) a representation of it used in heraldry |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | heiron | heron |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | hairo | heron |
| 5 | Frankish | haigrō | — |
| 6 | Frankish | hraigrō | heron |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | hraigrô | heron |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kreik- | — |