Where does “hound's tongue” come from?

hound's tongue (English) comes from Middle English houndestonge, from Old English hundes tunge, from Latin cynoglossos, from Ancient Greek κυνόγλωσσον, from Ancient Greek κύων, from Ancient Greek μῦς, from Proto-Hellenic *mū́s, from Proto-Indo-Iranian múHs — mouse.

hound's tongue (English): A biennial weed with soft tongue-shaped leaves...

Definitions

  1. A biennial weed with soft tongue-shaped leaves...

Ancestry of “hound's tongue”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishhoundestongehound's tongue
2Old Englishhundes tungehound's tongue
3Latincynoglossoshound's tongue (plant)
4Ancient Greekκυνόγλωσσονhound's tongue (Cynoglossum columnae)
5Ancient Greekκύωνa dog; a bitch; an offensive person
6Ancient Greekμῦςmouse; A type of mussel; A type of whale
7Proto-Hellenic*mū́s
8Proto-Indo-IranianmúHsmouse
9Proto-Indo-Europeanmúh₂smouse
Every word from Proto-Indo-European múh₂sEvery word from Proto-Indo-Iranian múHsEvery word from Proto-Hellenic *mū́s
hound's tongue — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer