Where does “pole star” come from?
pole star (English) comes from English star, from Middle English sterre, from Old English steorra, from Proto-West Germanic sterrō, from Proto-Germanic sternô, from Proto-Indo-European h₂stḗr, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- — to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth.
pole star (English): The star nearest a celestial pole of a planet; A...
Definitions
- The star nearest a celestial pole of a planet; A...
Ancestry of “pole star”, step by step
pole star traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English star
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | star | Any small luminous dot appearing in the cloudless... |
| 2 | Middle English | sterre | star |
| 3 | Old English | steorra | star |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | sterrō | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | sternô | star |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂stḗr | star |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eHs- | to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth |
via English Pole
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Pole | A person from Poland or of Polish descent |
| 2 | Middle English | pole | pole, stake, staff |
| 3 | Old French | poule | hen |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | pulla | nominative feminine singular of pullus;... |
| 5 | Latin | pullus | A young animal; darling; dark-colored; dusky |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | polHwós | pale, gray |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pelH- | pale, gray |