Where does “redshank” come from?

redshank (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.

redshank (English): Either of two species of Old World wading bird in...

Definitions

  1. Either of two species of Old World wading bird in...

Ancestry of “redshank”, step by step

redshank traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Red

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

via English shank

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshankThe part of the leg between the knee and the...
2Middle Englishschankeleg, limb; shank, shin; leg fur
3Middle High Germanschenken
4Old High Germanscenkento pur in, give drink to, water
5Proto-West Germanicskankijanto pour
6Proto-Germanicskankijanąto skew, tilt, tip; to pour
7Proto-Indo-European(s)kenǵ-to limp
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂reh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European Hreh₁dʰ-