Where does “scrapheap” come from?

scrapheap (English) comes from English heap, from Middle English hepe, from Old English hēope, from Proto-Germanic heupǭ, from Proto-Indo-European ḱewb-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱew-, from Proto-Indo-European gʷṓws — cattle.

scrapheap (English): A pile in which junk is discarded; A junkyard; A...

Definitions

  1. A pile in which junk is discarded; A junkyard; A...

Ancestry of “scrapheap”, step by step

scrapheap traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English heap

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishheapA crowd; a throng; a multitude or great number of...
2Middle Englishhepecrowd, multitude, assembly
3Old Englishhēopehip the fruit of a rose
4Proto-Germanicheupǭthornbush
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱewb-briar, thorn
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱew-skin, colour of the skin; to shine; bright; to...
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʷṓwscattle

via English scrap

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscrapA piece; a fragment; a detached, incomplete...
2Middle Englishscrappe
3Old Norseskrap
4Old Norseskrapato clatter; to prate; to scratch out
5Proto-Germanicskrapōnąto scrape, scratch
6Proto-Indo-Europeanskreb-to engrave
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷṓwsEvery word from Proto-Indo-European ḱew-Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱewb-