Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “moorbird” come from?

moorbird (English) comes from English Moor, from Middle English moren, from Old English mārian, from Proto-Germanic mairōną, from Proto-Indo-European mer- — to die; to disappear; sea, lake, wetland.

moorbird (English): The red grouse

Definitions

  1. The red grouse

Ancestry of “moorbird”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMoorA member of an ancient Berber people from...
2Middle Englishmoren—
3Old Englishmārian—
4Proto-Germanicmairōnąto moor, fasten to
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmer-to die; to disappear; sea, lake, wetland
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mer- →