Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “knotweed” come from?

knotweed (English) comes from English knot, from Middle English knotte, from Old English cnotta, from Proto-Germanic knuttô, from Proto-Indo-European gnod- — to bind.

knotweed (English): Any of several plants of the genus "Polygonum",...

Definitions

  1. Any of several plants of the genus "Polygonum",...

Ancestry of “knotweed”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishknotA looping of a piece of string or of any other...
2Middle Englishknotteknot, tie; binding, method of attachment, link;...
3Old Englishcnottaknot
4Proto-Germanicknuttôa knot
5Proto-Indo-Europeangnod-to bind
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gnod- →