Where does “needletail” come from?
needletail (English) comes from English needle, from Middle English nedle, from Old English nǣdl, from Proto-Germanic *nāþlu, from Proto-Germanic nēþlō, from Proto-Indo-European (s)neh₁- — to spin (thread), to sew.
needletail (English): Any of various birds related to the swift
Definitions
- Any of various birds related to the swift
Ancestry of “needletail”, step by step
needletail traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English needle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | needle | A fine, sharp implement usually for piercing such... |
| 2 | Middle English | nedle | needle |
| 3 | Old English | nǣdl | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *nāþlu | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | nēþlō | needle |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)neh₁- | to spin (thread), to sew |
via English Tail
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Tail | A Chinese constellation coinciding with the tail of Scorpius, one of the 28 lunar mansions and the tail of Azure Dragon |
| 2 | Middle English | tayl | A tail; The back side or reverse of a creature; A... |
| 3 | Old English | tæġl | tail |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | taglą | hair; ponytail; hair of a tail; tail |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | doḱ- | hair of the tail |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | deḱ- | take; perceive |