Where does “snake fear” come from?
snake fear (English) comes from English snake, from Middle English snake, from Old English snaca, from Proto-Germanic snakô, from Proto-Germanic snakaną, from Proto-Indo-European sneg- — to crawl, creeping thing.
snake fear (English): A fear of snakes
Definitions
- A fear of snakes
Ancestry of “snake fear”, step by step
snake fear traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English snake
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | snake | A legless reptile of the sub-order Serpentes with... |
| 2 | Middle English | snake | snake; serpent |
| 3 | Old English | snaca | snake |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | snakô | snake |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | snakaną | to crawl |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sneg- | to crawl, creeping thing |
via English fear
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | fear | A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion or... |
| 2 | Middle English | fere | fear |
| 3 | Old English | fēre | able to go, fit for service |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | fēriz | crossing, able to cross |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |