Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “short-legged” come from?

short-legged (English) comes from English short, from Middle English schort, from Old English sċeort, from Proto-West Germanic skurt, from Proto-Germanic skurtaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- — dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth.

short-legged (English): Having short legs, particularly in proportion to...

Definitions

  1. Having short legs, particularly in proportion to...

Ancestry of “short-legged”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshortHaving a small distance from one end or edge to...
2Middle Englishschortshort; short , brief, quick; ephemeral, having a...
3Old Englishsċeort—
4Proto-West Germanicskurtshort; lacking, deficient
5Proto-Germanicskurtazshort; lacking, deficient
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱer-dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- →