Where does “ragweed” come from?
Ragweed comes from English ragged and English weed, with ragged from Middle English ragged, Old Norse raggaðr, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ-.
ragweed (English): A plant of the genus "Ambrosia". These weeds are...
Definitions
- A plant of the genus "Ambrosia". These weeds are...
Ancestry of “ragweed”, step by step
ragweed traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English ragwort
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ragwort | Any of a number of wild flowering plants with... |
| 2 | English | wort | A plant; herb; vegetable; Any of various plants... |
| 3 | Middle English | wort | A plant; Wort or an analogous mixture |
| 4 | Old English | wyrt | plant; herb; wort |
| 5 | Old English | bisċop | bishop |
| 6 | Latin | episcopus | an overseer, supervisor, bishop in a Christian... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ἐπίσκοπος | watcher, guardian; scout, watch; overseer,... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | ἐπισκοπέω | I watch over |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | ἐπι- | on, upon, on top of, all over, covering; on,... |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | ἐπί | as well, besides; For usage in composition, see... |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | Ἡμέρα | — |
| 12 | Ancient Greek | ἦμαρ | day; by day; midday |
| 13 | Proto-Hellenic | ā́mər | day |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃mr̥ | heat |
| 15 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃- | to be hot; to burn |