Where does “roostertail” come from?
roostertail (English) comes from English rooster, from English roost, from Middle English roste, from Old French rost, from Old French rostir, from Frankish rōstjan, from Proto-Germanic raustijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *Hrews-.
roostertail (English): A violent fountain or spray, especially one...
Definitions
- A violent fountain or spray, especially one...
Ancestry of “roostertail”, step by step
roostertail traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English rooster
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | rooster | A male domestic chicken or other gallinaceous... |
| 2 | English | roost | The place where a bird sleeps; A group of birds... |
| 3 | Middle English | roste | roost, perch; A roast; a piece of roasted meat;... |
| 4 | Old French | rost | — |
| 5 | Old French | rostir | to roast; to torture by subjecting to fire |
| 6 | Frankish | rōstjan | to roast |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | raustijaną | to roast |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | *Hrews- | — |
via English Tail
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Tail | A Chinese constellation coinciding with the tail of Scorpius, one of the 28 lunar mansions and the tail of Azure Dragon |
| 2 | Middle English | tayl | A tail; The back side or reverse of a creature; A... |
| 3 | Old English | tæġl | tail |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | taglą | hair; ponytail; hair of a tail; tail |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | doḱ- | hair of the tail |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | deḱ- | take; perceive |