Where does “owl” come from?
Owl comes from Middle English oule, from Old English ūle, from Proto-Germanic uwwalǭ and uwwô, ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root with the feminine suffix -ǭ.
owl (English): Any of various birds of prey of the order...
Definitions
- Any of various birds of prey of the order...
Ancestry of “owl”, step by step
owl traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English oule
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | oule | owl; An insult, especially applied to the Devil;... |
| 2 | Old English | ūle | owl |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *uwwulā | owl |
via Middle English owle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | owle | Alternative form of oule |