Where does “milkweed” come from?

Milkweed derives from English milk and wee, from Old English wēod, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂melǵ- meaning to milk and weǵʰ- meaning to move or turn.

milkweed (English): Any of several plants that have a milky sap and...

Definitions

  1. Any of several plants that have a milky sap and...

Ancestry of “milkweed”, step by step

milkweed traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English milk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmilkA white liquid produced by the mammary glands of...
2Middle Englishmilkmilk
3Old Englishmeolcmilk
4Proto-West Germanicmelukmilk
5Proto-Germanicmeluksmilk
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂melǵ-to milk; milk

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 h₂melǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic meluks →Every word from Proto-West Germanic meluk →