Where does “hornbug” come from?

hornbug (English) comes from English horn, from Middle English horn, from Old English horn, from Proto-West Germanic horn, from Proto-Germanic hurną, from Proto-Indo-European ḱer-, from Proto-Indo-European kr̥-, from Proto-Indo-European ker- — army.

hornbug (English): A large nocturnal beetle of the genus "Lucanus",...

Definitions

  1. A large nocturnal beetle of the genus "Lucanus",...

Ancestry of “hornbug”, step by step

hornbug traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English horn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhornA hard growth of keratin that protrudes from the...
2Middle EnglishhornA horn; A jutting or projecting extremity of...
3Old Englishhornhorn; gable
4Proto-West Germanichornhorn
5Proto-Germanichurnąhorn
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
8Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army

via English Bug

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBugA Volkswagen Beetle car; A Bugatti car
2Englishbuggebeetle
3Middle Englishbuggebogy, hobgoblin, bugbear; scarecrow
4Proto-Germanicbugja-swollen up, thick
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰew-to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker-Every word from Proto-Indo-European kr̥-Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱer-