Where does “jackaburra” come from?
jackaburra (English) comes from English jackass, from English Jack, from Middle English jakke, from Anglo-Norman jacke, from Middle French jaque, from Middle French jacques, from French jacques, from Latin Iacobus — heel of the foot; heel.
Ancestry of “jackaburra”, step by step
jackaburra traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English jackass
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | jackass | a male donkey; a foolish or stupid person; an... |
| 2 | English | Jack | A placeholder or conventional name for any man,... |
| 3 | Middle English | jakke | A padded coat, especially as light armour |
| 4 | Anglo-Norman | jacke | — |
| 5 | Middle French | jaque | — |
| 6 | Middle French | jacques | — |
| 7 | French | jacques | plural of jacque; a stupid person; a jemmy or... |
| 8 | Latin | Iacobus | Jacob; James; Saint James |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | Ἰάκωβος | — |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | Ἰακώβ | Jacob |
| 11 | Hebrew | יַעֲקֹב | Jacob |
| 12 | Hebrew | עָקֵב | heel of the foot; heel |
via English kookaburra
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | kookaburra | Any of several species of kingfishers in the... |
| 2 | Wiradhuri | guuguubarra | kookaburra |