Where does “shorttail” come from?

shorttail (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.

shorttail (English): Applied to various creatures characterized by a...

Definitions

  1. Applied to various creatures characterized by a...

Ancestry of “shorttail”, step by step

shorttail traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English short

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshortHaving a small distance from one end or edge to...
2Middle Englishschortshort as opposed to being tall or long
3Old Englishsċeort
4Proto-West Germanicskurtshort; lacking, deficient
5Proto-Germanicskurtazshort; lacking, deficient
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱer-dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth

via English Tail

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishTailA Chinese constellation coinciding with the tail of Scorpius, one of the 28 lunar mansions and the tail of Azure Dragon
2Middle EnglishtaylA tail; The back side or reverse of a creature; A...
3Old Englishtæġltail
4Proto-Germanictagląhair; ponytail; hair of a tail; tail
5Proto-Indo-Europeandoḱ-hair of the tail
6Proto-Indo-Europeandeḱ-take; perceive
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer-Every word from Proto-Germanic skurtazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic skurt
shorttail — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer