Where does “spadefoot” come from?

spadefoot (English) comes from English foot, from Middle English fot, from Old English fōt, from Proto-West Germanic fōt, from Proto-Germanic fōts, from Proto-Indo-European pṓds, from Proto-Indo-European póds, from Proto-Indo-European ped- — to walk, to step; to stumble, to fall.

spadefoot (English): Any member of several groups of burrowing toads,...

Definitions

  1. Any member of several groups of burrowing toads,...

Ancestry of “spadefoot”, step by step

spadefoot traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English foot

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfootA biological structure found in many animals that...
2Middle Englishfotfoot; The bottom, lower part or foundation of...
3Old Englishfōtfoot
4Proto-West Germanicfōtfoot
5Proto-Germanicfōtsfoot
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpṓdsfoot
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpódsfoot
8Proto-Indo-Europeanped-to walk, to step; to stumble, to fall

via English spade

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishspadeA garden tool with a handle and a flat blade for...
2Italianspadeplural of spada
3Italianspataspathe
4Latinspathaspatula, spattle; spatha; a long, two-edged,...
5Ancient Greekσπάθηany broad blade, of wood or metal
6Proto-Indo-Europeansph₂-dʰ-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ped-Every word from Proto-Indo-European pódsEvery word from Proto-Indo-European pṓds