Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “rabbit” come from?

Rabbit comes from Middle English rabet, from Middle French rabotte, of uncertain origin.

rabbit (English): A mammal of the family Leporidae, with long ears,...

Definitions

  1. A mammal of the family Leporidae, with long ears,...

Ancestry of “rabbit”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishrabet—
2Middle Frenchrabotte—
3Dutchrobbe—
4Englishrobert—
5Anglo-NormanRobert—

Words derived from “rabbit”

  • rabbity
  • rabbitbrush
  • rabbitry
  • antirabbit
  • rabbitfish
  • rabbitskin
  • rabbitlike
  • rabbithood
  • rabbiter
  • rabbitpox
  • Rabbitland
  • rabbitless
  • unrabbitlike
  • rabbitiness
  • rabbitdom
  • nonrabbit
  • rabbitfucker
  • roof rabbit
  • rabbit board
  • rabbit-o
  • rabbit-proof
  • volcano rabbit
  • rabbitkind
  • rabaid
Every word from Anglo-Norman Robert →