Where does “rolly-pooly” come from?
rolly-pooly (English) comes from English roll, from Middle English rolle, from Old French rolle, from Medieval Latin rotulus, from Latin rotula, from Arabic رَطْل, from Classical Syriac ܪܝܛܠܐ, from Classical Syriac ܠܝܛܪܐ — ingot.
rolly-pooly (English): A game in which the player attempts to roll a...
Definitions
- A game in which the player attempts to roll a...
Ancestry of “rolly-pooly”, step by step
rolly-pooly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English roll
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | roll | To cause to revolve by turning over and over; to... |
| 2 | Middle English | rolle | — |
| 3 | Old French | rolle | registration |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | rotulus | a roll, list, catalogue, schedule, record, a... |
| 5 | Latin | rotula | a small wheel; roll |
| 6 | Arabic | رَطْل | — |
| 7 | Classical Syriac | ܪܝܛܠܐ | — |
| 8 | Classical Syriac | ܠܝܛܪܐ | libra, pound |
| 9 | French | litre | litre |
| 10 | Medieval Latin | litra | — |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | λίτρα | litra, a Sicilian silver coin; libra, a unit of... |
| 12 | Proto-Italic | *līðrā | ingot |
via English pool
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pool | A small and rather deep collection of fresh... |
| 2 | Middle English | pol | A pool or pond; a small body of still water especially natural} |
| 3 | Old English | pōl | pool |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *pōl | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | pōlaz | pool |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bale- | bog, marsh |
| 7 | Yoruba | ilé | home; house |