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
- A mammal of the family Leporidae, with long ears,...
Ancestry of “rabbit”, step by step
rabbit traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English rabet
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | rabet | — |
| 2 | Middle French | rabotte | — |
| 3 | Dutch | robbe | — |
| 4 | English | robert | — |
| 5 | Anglo-Norman | Robert | — |
via English rabate
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | rabate | Archaic form of rebate |