Where does “ladysfinger” come from?
ladysfinger (English) comes from English finger, from German Finger, from Middle High German vinger, from Old High German fingar, from Proto-West Germanic fingr, from Proto-Germanic fingraz, from Proto-Indo-European penkʷrós.
Ancestry of “ladysfinger”, step by step
ladysfinger traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English finger
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | finger | A slender jointed extremity of the human hand, (often) exclusive of the thumb, and the corresponding part, irrespective of including a thumb, in many other animals |
| 2 | German | Finger | finger |
| 3 | Middle High German | vinger | finger |
| 4 | Old High German | fingar | finger |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | fingr | finger |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | fingraz | finger |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | penkʷrós | — |
via English lady
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | lady | The mistress of a household; A woman of breeding... |
| 2 | Middle English | lady | A woman with authority or leadership |
| 3 | Old English | hlǣfdīġe | bread-kneader; mistress of a household, wife of a... |
| 4 | Old English | hlāf | bread, loaf; bread, loaf, morsel; loaf, cake,... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | hlaib | bread, loaf |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | hlaibaz | bread |