Where does “slough” come from?
Slough derives from Old English slōh, which comes from Proto-Germanic slōhaz, a word of uncertain origin and meaning.
slough (English): The skin shed by a snake or other reptile; Dead...
Definitions
- The skin shed by a snake or other reptile; Dead...
Ancestry of “slough”, step by step
slough traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English slo
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | slo | sloe blackthorn fruit |
| 2 | Old Swedish | slā | to hit, to strike |
| 3 | Old Norse | slá | to hit, beat, strike; to strike, pluck |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | slahaną | to hit, to strike; to kill |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | slak- | to hit; strike; to hit, strike, throw; to hit,... |
via Middle English slough
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | slough | skin, husk, rind; cocoon; scales; cyst |
| 2 | Old English | slōh | slough |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | slōhaz | — |
Words derived from “slough”