Where does “packrat” come from?

packrat (English) comes from English pack, from Middle English pakken, from Middle English -en, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iHnos — adjectival suffix.

packrat (English): Any of several species of rodent in the genus...

Definitions

  1. Any of several species of rodent in the genus...

Ancestry of “packrat”, step by step

packrat traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English pack

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpackA bundle made up and prepared to be carried;...
2Middle EnglishpakkenTo pack; to put into a pack or container; To...
3Middle English-enDenotes the past participle form when attached to...
4Old English-enmæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;...
5Old Norse-innUsed to create adjectives from nouns, meaning...
6Proto-Norse-īna-
7Proto-Germanic-īnaz-en
8Proto-Indo-European-iHnosCreates adjectives of materials
9Proto-Indo-European-no-adjectival suffix

via English rat

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishratA medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus...
2Middle EnglishraatAlternative form of ratte
3Old EnglishrætAlternative form of rætt
4Old Englishrættrat
5Proto-Germanicrattazrat
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreh₃d-to scrape

Words derived from “packrat

Every word from Proto-Indo-European -no-
packrat — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer