Where does “miniver” come from?
miniver (English) comes from Old French menu vair, from Old French vair, from Latin varius, from Latin vārus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂wer-, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.
miniver (English): A light gray or white fur used to trim the robes...
Definitions
- A light gray or white fur used to trim the robes...
Ancestry of “miniver”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | menu vair | squirrel, squirrel fur |
| 2 | Old French | vair | changeable; that may change; multi-colored;... |
| 3 | Latin | varius | diverse, different, various, variegated |
| 4 | Latin | vārus | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wer- | to lift up; to moisten; to flow; to raise, hang |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wēr- | true |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |