Where does “potworm” come from?

potworm (English) comes from English Worm, from Middle English worm, from Old English wyrm, from Old English lēah, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ- — bright; to shine; to see.

potworm (English): Any worm in the family Enchytraeidae

Definitions

  1. Any worm in the family Enchytraeidae

Ancestry of “potworm”, step by step

potworm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Worm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWormA generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid phylum; an earthworm
2Middle EnglishwormA worm or similar small wormlike animal that...
3Old Englishwyrmcreeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,...
4Old Englishlēahmeadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,...
5Proto-West Germaniclauhclearing; meadow
6Proto-Germaniclauhazclearing; meadow
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlówkosclearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlewḱ-lynx
9Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see

via English pot

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpotA flat-bottomed vessel used for cooking food;...
2Middle EnglishpotA pot; a circular receptacle or vessel; The top...
3Old Frenchpotpot; third-person singular present indicative of...
4Vulgar Latinpottum
5Frankish*pott
6Proto-Germanicputtazpot, jar, tub
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbudn-a kind of vessel; type of vessel; a type of...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lówkos