Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “polearm” come from?

polearm (English) comes from English Pole, from Middle English pole, from Old French poule, from Vulgar Latin pulla, from Latin pullus, from Proto-Indo-European polHwós, from Proto-Indo-European pelH- — pale, gray.

polearm (English): A close-quarter combat weapon with the main...

Definitions

  1. A close-quarter combat weapon with the main...

Ancestry of “polearm”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishPoleA person from Poland or of Polish descent
2Middle Englishpole—
3Old Frenchpoulehen
4Vulgar Latinpullanominative feminine singular of pullus;...
5LatinpullusA young animal; darling; dark-colored; dusky
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanpolHwóspale, gray
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanpelH-pale, gray
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pelH- →