Where does “ragpicker” come from?

ragpicker (English) comes from English rag, from Middle English ragge, from Old English ragg, from Old Norse rǫgg, from Proto-Germanic rūhaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₃rewk-, from Proto-Indo-European h₃er- — to move, to stir; to rise, to spring; to quarrel,...

ragpicker (English): A person who collects and sells unwanted...

Definitions

  1. A person who collects and sells unwanted...

Ancestry of “ragpicker”, step by step

ragpicker traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English rag

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishragTattered clothes; A piece of old cloth; a...
2Middle Englishraggerag, cloth scrap; cloth strip, band of fabric;...
3Old Englishragg
4Old Norserǫggshagginess; tuft; tuft, shagginess; tuft;...
5Proto-Germanicrūhazrough
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃rewk-to dig; to till
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃er-to move, to stir; to rise, to spring; to quarrel,...

via English picker

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpickerAgent noun of pick; one who picks; Any user...
2Yiddishפּיקןpeck
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃er-