Where does “riverdamsel” come from?

riverdamsel (English) comes from English damsel, from French demoiselle, from Old French damoisele, from Vulgar Latin domnicella, from Latin domina, from Latin Dominus, from Latin domus, from Proto-Italic domos — to build; to arrange, to put together.

riverdamsel (English): Any of various Australia damselflies of the genus Pseudagrion (of which African species are named sprites)

Definitions

  1. Any of various Australia damselflies of the genus Pseudagrion (of which African species are named sprites)

Ancestry of “riverdamsel”, step by step

riverdamsel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English damsel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdamselA young woman; A girl; a maiden; A young woman...
2Frenchdemoiselledamsel, maiden; miss; damselfly
3Old Frenchdamoiselegirl; young lady
4Vulgar Latindomnicellaweasel; little maiden; damsel, maiden
5Latindominalady or mistress of the house
6LatinDominusthe Lord; Lord; The Lord
7Latindomushouse, home; any building or abode; native place,...
8Proto-Italicdomoshouse, home
9Proto-Indo-Europeandṓmhome; house
10Proto-Indo-Europeandem-to build; to arrange, to put together

via English River

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishRiverA place name
2English-erA person or thing that does an action indicated...
3Middle English-eragentive suffix; agent noun suffix
4Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
5Latin-ārefirst conjugation
6Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
7Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
8Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
10Chichewaiyehe, she
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dem-