Where does “sea holly” come from?
sea holly (English) comes from English sea, from Middle English see, from Old English sǣ, from Proto-West Germanic saiwi, from Proto-Germanic saiwiz, from Proto-Germanic sīhwaną, from Proto-Indo-European seykʷ-, from Proto-Indo-European sey- — to be wet; dribble; run; to stretch one's arm;...
sea holly (English): A plant of species Eryngium maritimum, of Europe
Definitions
- A plant of species Eryngium maritimum, of Europe
Ancestry of “sea holly”, step by step
sea holly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English sea
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sea | A large body of salt water; A lake, especially if... |
| 2 | Middle English | see | sea, ocean; A body of water, a lake; seat, chair |
| 3 | Old English | sǣ | sea, lake |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | saiwi | sea |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | saiwiz | sea, ocean |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | sīhwaną | to filter |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | seykʷ- | to moisten; to filter |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sey- | to be wet; dribble; run; to stretch one's arm;... |
via English Holly
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Holly | Any of various shrubs or (mostly) small trees, of the genus Ilex, either evergreen or deciduous, used as decoration especially at Christmas |
| 2 | Middle English | holly | Alternative form of holy |
| 3 | Old English | holeġn | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | hulis | holly |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kel- | to hit; beat; to pierce, to stab; goblet |