Where does “maltworm” come from?

maltworm (English) comes from English Worm, from Middle English worm, from Old English wyrm, from Old English lēah, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ- — bright; to shine; to see.

maltworm (English): A tippler; a drinker of alcohol

Definitions

  1. A tippler; a drinker of alcohol

Ancestry of “maltworm”, step by step

maltworm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Worm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWormA generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid phylum; an earthworm
2Middle EnglishwormA worm or similar small wormlike animal that...
3Old Englishwyrmcreeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,...
4Old Englishlēahmeadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,...
5Proto-West Germaniclauhclearing; meadow
6Proto-Germaniclauhazclearing; meadow
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlówkosclearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlewḱ-lynx
9Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see

via English MALT

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMALTInitialism of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue
2Middle Englishmaltmalt malted grain
3Old Englishmealtmalt
4Proto-West Germanic*maltmalt
5Proto-Germanicmaltąmalt
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmeld-to beat, crush, grind
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk-