Where does “pokeweed” come from?
pokeweed (English) comes from English poke, from Middle English poke, from Anglo-Norman poke, from Frankish *pokō, from Proto-Germanic *puhô, from Proto-Indo-European bew- — "low-pitch humming noise".
pokeweed (English): A poisonous North American plant, "Phytolacca...
Definitions
- A poisonous North American plant, "Phytolacca...
Ancestry of “pokeweed”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | poke | To prod or jab with an object such as a finger or... |
| 2 | Middle English | poke | — |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | poke | sack |
| 4 | Frankish | *pokō | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *puhô | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bew- | "low-pitch humming noise" |