Where does “puff adder” come from?
puff adder (English) comes from Afrikaans Pofadder, from Dutch pofadder, from Dutch adder, from Middle Dutch adder, from Old Dutch nadra, from Proto-West Germanic nadrā, from Proto-Germanic nadrǭ, from Proto-Indo-European néh₁treh₂.
puff adder (English): Any viper or adder in genus Bitis
Definitions
- Any viper or adder in genus Bitis
Ancestry of “puff adder”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Afrikaans | Pofadder | sometimes used as a placeholder for an especially remote location |
| 2 | Dutch | pofadder | puffadder, African adder, viper of the genus... |
| 3 | Dutch | adder | viper, adder; snake of the family Viperidae;... |
| 4 | Middle Dutch | adder | — |
| 5 | Old Dutch | nadra | adder |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | nadrā | adder; snake in general |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | nadrǭ | adder; snake in general |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₁treh₂ | — |