Where does “pup” come from?
Pup comes from Middle English puppy, from Middle French poupée, from Old French poupee, originally meaning doll or plaything.
pup (English): A young dog, wolf, fox, seal, or shark, or the...
Definitions
- A young dog, wolf, fox, seal, or shark, or the...
Ancestry of “pup”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | puppy | A young dog, especially before sexual maturity; A... |
| 2 | English | puppie | Obsolete form of puppy |
| 3 | Middle French | poupée | doll, toy |
| 4 | Old French | poupée | — |
| 5 | Latin | pupa | girl, little girl; doll, puppet; pupa |
| 6 | Latin | pupus | a boy, a child; a puppet; the pupil of the eye |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₂w- | few, little; smallness |