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

knotweed traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English knot

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

via English weed

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishweedAny plant regarded as unwanted at the place...
2Middle Englishweed—
3Old Englishwēodweed
4Proto-West Germanic*weudweed (unwanted plant)
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gnod- →Every word from Proto-Germanic knuttô →Every word from Old English cnotta →