Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “prairie dog” come from?

prairie dog (English) comes from English dog, from English dogshit, from English shit, from Middle Dutch schite, from Old Dutch skīta, from Old Saxon skiti, from Proto-Germanic skītaz, from Proto-Indo-European sḱeyd- — to cut, part, spearate, divide; to cut, part,...

prairie dog (English): Any of genus "Cynomys", small, stout-bodied...

Definitions

  1. Any of genus "Cynomys", small, stout-bodied...

Ancestry of “prairie dog”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdogA mammal, "Canis familiaris" or "Canis lupus...
2EnglishdogshitDog excrement; Something disgusting, abominable,...
3EnglishshitSolid excretory product evacuated from the...
4Middle Dutchschite—
5Old Dutchskīta—
6Old Saxonskiti—
7Proto-Germanicskītaz—
8Proto-Indo-Europeansḱeyd-to shade; to cut off; to part with, separate, cut...
9Proto-Indo-Europeansḱēy-to shine; to shimmer; shadow; luster, gloss,...
10Proto-Germanicskaidąseparation, distinction
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanskÁit-to cut, part, spearate, divide; to cut, part,...

Words derived from “prairie dog”

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