Where does “shearwater” come from?
shearwater (English) comes from English shear, from Middle English schyre, from Old English sċīr, from Old English burna, from Proto-West Germanic brunnō, from Proto-Germanic brunnô, from Proto-Indo-European bʰréh₁wr̥, from Proto-Indo-European bʰrewh₁- — to bear, carry.
shearwater (English): Any of the long-winged pelagic seabirds of the...
Definitions
- Any of the long-winged pelagic seabirds of the...
Ancestry of “shearwater”, step by step
shearwater traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English shear
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | shear | To cut, originally with a sword or other bladed... |
| 2 | Middle English | schyre | Alternative form of shire; bright, shimmering,... |
| 3 | Old English | sċīr | bright; shire; county |
| 4 | Old English | burna | stream |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | brunnō | well, spring |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | brunnô | source; wellspring; fountain; brook; stream;... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰréh₁wr̥ | well, spring, source |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrewh₁- | to boil; to brew |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |
via English water
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | water | A substance found at room temperature and... |
| 2 | Middle English | water | water; water vapour, condensation; lake, pond,... |
| 3 | Old English | wæter | water |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | watar | water |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | watōr | water |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wódr̥ | water |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wed- | water |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wey- | to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;... |