Where does “razorbill” come from?
razorbill (English) comes from English razor, from Middle English rasour, from Old French rasour, from Old French raser, from Vulgar Latin raso, from Latin rāsus, from Latin rādō, from Proto-Italic razdō — to scrape, scratch, gnaw.
razorbill (English): A large black and white auk, "Alca torda", native...
Definitions
- A large black and white auk, "Alca torda", native...
Ancestry of “razorbill”, step by step
razorbill traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English razor
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | razor | A keen-edged knife of peculiar shape, used in... |
| 2 | Middle English | rasour | razor |
| 3 | Old French | rasour | — |
| 4 | Old French | raser | to shave |
| 5 | Vulgar Latin | raso | dative masculine singular of rāsus; dative neuter... |
| 6 | Latin | rāsus | scraped, shaved |
| 7 | Latin | rādō | to scrape, shave, scratch |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | razdō | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | rh₁d-dʰ- | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | reh₁d- | to scrape, scratch, gnaw |
via English Bill
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Bill | A nickname for the British constabulary. Often called "The Bill" or "Old Bill" |
| 2 | Middle English | bill | — |
| 3 | Old English | bil | a kind of sword or other bladed weapon,... |
| 4 | Frankish | billi | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bilją | a cutting implement; blade; axe; sword; spike;... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | harjaz | army; army leader; commander; warrior |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kóryos | war; troops; army; war, troops |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |