Where does “rockabilly” come from?
rockabilly (English) comes from English hillbilly, from English Billy, from English Bill, from Middle English bill, from Old English bil, from Frankish billi, from Proto-Germanic bilją, from Proto-Germanic harjaz — army.
rockabilly (English): A genre of music originating from the South and...
Definitions
- A genre of music originating from the South and...
Ancestry of “rockabilly”, step by step
rockabilly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English hillbilly
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | hillbilly | Someone who is from the hills; especially from a... |
| 2 | English | Billy | The B-25 twin-engine bomber aircraft used during World War Two, commonly called the "B-25 Mitchell" in honor of U.S. Army General William "Billy" Mitchell |
| 3 | English | Bill | A nickname for the British constabulary. Often called "The Bill" or "Old Bill" |
| 4 | Middle English | bill | — |
| 5 | Old English | bil | a kind of sword or other bladed weapon,... |
| 6 | Frankish | billi | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | bilją | a cutting implement; blade; axe; sword; spike;... |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | harjaz | army; army leader; commander; warrior |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kóryos | war; troops; army; war, troops |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |
via English Rock
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Rock | for someone living near a rock or an oak (atter + oke) |
| 2 | English | rock and roll | A genre of popular music that evolved in the... |
| 3 | English | and | As a coordinating conjunction; expressing two... |
| 4 | Middle English | an | Alternative form of in; Alternative form of and;... |
| 5 | Old English | ond | and |
| 6 | Old English | and | and; even; also |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | andi | in addition, furthermore, and |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énti | opposite; near; in front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |