Where does “shelduck” come from?
shelduck (English) comes from English Duck, from Dutch doek, from Middle Dutch doec, from Old Dutch duok, from Proto-West Germanic dōk, from Proto-Germanic dōkaz, from Proto-Indo-European dwōg-.
shelduck (English): Any of various waterfowl of the genus "Tadorna",...
Definitions
- Any of various waterfowl of the genus "Tadorna",...
Ancestry of “shelduck”, step by step
shelduck traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Duck
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Duck | To quickly lower (the head or body), often in order to prevent it from being struck by something |
| 2 | Dutch | doek | cloth, linen, fabric; a piece of cloth; screen,... |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | doec | cloth |
| 4 | Old Dutch | duok | — |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | dōk | cloth, rag |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | dōkaz | cloth, rag |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dwōg- | — |
via English sheld
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sheld | variegated; spotted; speckled; piebald |