Where does “pricklouse” come from?

pricklouse (English) comes from English prick, from Middle English prikken, from Old English prician, from Old English -ian, from Old English -ōjan, from Proto-West Germanic -ōn, from Proto-Germanic -ōną, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti — he, she.

pricklouse (English): A tailor; A lousy person

Definitions

  1. A tailor; A lousy person

Ancestry of “pricklouse”, step by step

pricklouse traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English prick

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishprickA small hole or perforation, caused by piercing;...
2Middle Englishprikkento prick, pierce
3Old Englishpricianto prick
4Old English-ianForms verbs from nouns and adjectives
5Old English-ōjan
6Proto-West Germanic-ōnCreates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates...
7Proto-Germanic-ōnąCreates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates...
8Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
9Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
11Chichewaiyehe, she

via English louse

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlouseA small parasitic wingless insect of the order...
2Middle Englishlouslouse; A person or thing worthy of contempt or...
3Old Englishlūslouse
4West Germanic*lūs
5Germanic*lūs
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanlewH-louse
Every word from Chichewa iye