Where does “ploughhorse” come from?
ploughhorse (English) comes from English Plough, from Middle English plouh, from Old English plōh, from Old Frisian plōg, from Proto-Germanic plōgaz, from Proto-Celtic ɸlowyos, from Proto-Indo-European plówyos, from Proto-Indo-European plew- — to fly, flow, run.
ploughhorse (English): A horse who pulls a plough
Definitions
- A horse who pulls a plough
Ancestry of “ploughhorse”, step by step
ploughhorse traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Plough
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Plough | The brightest seven stars of the constellation Ursa Major. They are Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Dubhe, Merak, and Phecda |
| 2 | Middle English | plouh | — |
| 3 | Old English | plōh | hide of land, ploughland |
| 4 | Old Frisian | plōg | troop, common interest |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | plōgaz | plough |
| 6 | Proto-Celtic | ɸlowyos | rudder |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | plówyos | ship |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | plew- | to fly, flow, run |