Where does “nannyberry” come from?
nannyberry (English) comes from English berry, from Middle English berye, from Old English berġe, from Proto-West Germanic baʀi, from Proto-Germanic bazją, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-s-ri-.
nannyberry (English): The sheepberry
Definitions
- The sheepberry
Ancestry of “nannyberry”, step by step
nannyberry traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English berry
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | berry | A small succulent fruit, of any one of many... |
| 2 | Middle English | berye | berry, fruit; grape |
| 3 | Old English | berġe | berry |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | baʀi | berry |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bazją | berry |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeh₂- | to shine, glow light; to speak, say |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeh₂-s-ri- | — |
via English nanny
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | nanny | A child's nurse; A grandmother; A godmother |