Where does “pit bull” come from?
pit bull (English) comes from English pit bull terrier, from English pit, from Middle English pit, from Old English pytt, from Proto-West Germanic puti, from Latin puteus, from Latin -al — noun-forming suffix.
pit bull (English): A pit bull terrier
Definitions
- A pit bull terrier
Ancestry of “pit bull”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pit bull terrier | A medium-sized dog historically bred for dogfighting |
| 2 | English | pit | A hole in the ground; An area at a racetrack used... |
| 3 | Middle English | pit | — |
| 4 | Old English | pytt | pit; well, pool; grave |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | puti | well |
| 6 | Latin | puteus | pit, dungeon; well; cistern |
| 7 | Latin | -al | noun-forming suffix |