Where does “rugrat” come from?
rugrat (English) comes from English rat, from Middle English raat, from Old English ræt, from Old English rætt, from Proto-Germanic rattaz, from Proto-Indo-European Hreh₃d- — to scrape.
rugrat (English): A toddler, a young child
Ancestry of “rugrat”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | rat | A medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus... |
| 2 | Middle English | raat | Alternative form of ratte |
| 3 | Old English | ræt | Alternative form of rætt |
| 4 | Old English | rætt | rat |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | rattaz | rat |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | Hreh₃d- | to scrape |