Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “redbreast” come from?

redbreast (English) comes from English Red, from English rede, from Middle English reden, from Old English rǣdan, from Proto-West Germanic rādan, from Proto-Germanic rēdaną, from Proto-Indo-European Hreh₁dʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂reh₁- — to fit, to fix, to put together.

redbreast (English): Any of several unrelated birds that have a red...

Definitions

  1. Any of several unrelated birds that have a red...

Ancestry of “redbreast”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishRedA Communist; A supporter of a sports team who...
2EnglishredeHelp, advice, counsel; Decision, a plan; To...
3Middle Englishredento counsel, advise; to study; to read
4Old Englishrǣdanto read, interpret; to counsel, advise; plot,...
5Proto-West Germanicrādanto advise, counsel, help; to devise, decide,...
6Proto-Germanicrēdanąto decide, advise
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreh₁dʰ-to think; to arrange; to succeed, accomplish
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂reh₁-to think, reason; to arrange
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together

Words derived from “redbreast”

  • robin
  • robinet
  • wakerobin
  • ragged robin
  • robin redbreast
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- →