Where does “mealworm beetle” come from?

mealworm beetle (English) comes from English meal, from English molé, from English Moll, from English mary, from French marie, from Old French Marie, from Latin Marīa, from Ancient Greek Μαρία.

mealworm beetle (English): A darkling beetle (or darkening beetle) of species Tenebrio molitor, in the family Tenebrionidae, whose larvae (mealworms) are typically used as a food source for reptile, fish, and avian pets

Definitions

  1. A darkling beetle (or darkening beetle) of species Tenebrio molitor, in the family Tenebrionidae, whose larvae (mealworms) are typically used as a food source for reptile, fish, and avian pets

Ancestry of “mealworm beetle”, step by step

mealworm beetle traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English meal

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmealFood that is prepared and eaten, usually at a...
2EnglishmoléAlternative spelling of mole
3EnglishMollA pet name for Mary
4EnglishmaryA male homosexual
5Frenchmariefirst-person singular present indicative of...
6Old FrenchMarie
7LatinMarīaMary mother of Jesus
8Ancient GreekΜαρίαMary, Maria
9Hebrewמִרְיָם
10Aramaicמריםbitter
11Biblical Hebrewמִרְיָם

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 Beetle

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBeetleA small car, the Volkswagen Beetle
2GermanKäferbeetle; young girl, wench; Volkswagen Type 1...
3Middle High Germankëvere
4Old High Germanchevar
5Proto-West Germanickefrōbeetle
Every word from Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָםEvery word from Hebrew מִרְיָםEvery word from Aramaic מרים