Where does “screwworm” come from?

screwworm (English) comes from English Worm, from Middle English worm, from Old English wyrm, from Old English lēah, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ- — bright; to shine; to see.

screwworm (English): The larva of the fly Cochliomyia hominivorax or...

Definitions

  1. The larva of the fly Cochliomyia hominivorax or...

Ancestry of “screwworm”, step by step

screwworm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Worm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWormA generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid phylum; an earthworm
2Middle EnglishwormA worm or similar small wormlike animal that...
3Old Englishwyrmcreeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,...
4Old Englishlēahmeadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,...
5Proto-West Germaniclauhclearing; meadow
6Proto-Germaniclauhazclearing; meadow
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlówkosclearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlewḱ-lynx
9Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see

via English screw

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscrewA device that has a helical function; The motion...
2Middle Englishscrew
3Old Frenchescrouenut, cylindrical socket, screwhole; scroll, strip...
4Latinscrofasow
5Proto-Indo-European(s)kerbʰ-to scratch, scrape
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
7Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lówkos