Where does “miltwaste” come from?

miltwaste (English) comes from English milt, from Middle English milte, from Old English milte, from Proto-Germanic meltǭ, from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld- — to soften, to melt.

miltwaste (English): A small European fern formerly used in medicine

Definitions

  1. A small European fern formerly used in medicine

Ancestry of “miltwaste”, step by step

miltwaste traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English milt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmiltThe spleen, especially of an animal bred for...
2Middle Englishmiltespleen
3Old Englishmiltespleen
4Proto-Germanicmeltǭspleen
5Proto-Indo-European(s)meld-to soften, to melt

via English waste

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwasteExcess of material, useless by-products or...
2Middle Englishwastento waste, lay waste
3Old Northern Frenchwasterto waste, devastate
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld- →Every word from Proto-Germanic meltǭ →Every word from Old English milte →