Where does “ploughshare” come from?
Ploughshare comes from Middle English schere, from Old Norse plógr, from Proto-Germanic plōgaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sek-, meaning to cut or divide.
ploughshare (English): Alternative spelling of plowshare
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of plowshare
Ancestry of “ploughshare”, step by step
ploughshare 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 |
via English share
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | share | A portion of something, especially a portion... |
| 2 | Middle English | schare | A portion or share |
| 3 | Old English | scearu | a cutting; shaving; a shearing; tonsure |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *skaru | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | skarō | a portion; share; a division; detachment; troop;... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱer- | to caw, crow |