Where does “paw” come from?
Paw comes from Middle English pawe, from Old French poue, from Frankish pōta, derived from the Frankish verb pōtōn, which traces to Proto-Germanic putōną and ultimately Proto-Indo-European bud-.
paw (English): The soft foot of a mammal or other animal,...
Definitions
- The soft foot of a mammal or other animal,...
Ancestry of “paw”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | pawe | paw; claw, talon; rough, vicious hand |
| 2 | Old French | poue | — |
| 3 | Frankish | pōta | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | putōną | to stick, stab, poke; to push |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bud- | to shoot, sprout; to swell |