Where does “spider” come from?
Spider comes from Middle English spidre, from Old English spīþra, from Proto-Germanic spinnaną meaning "to spin," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)penh₁- with the same sense.
spider (English): Any of various eight-legged, predatory...
Definitions
- Any of various eight-legged, predatory...
Ancestry of “spider”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | spiþre | A spider |
| 2 | Old English | spīþra | spider |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *spinþrijō | spider |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)penh₁- | to twist; to weave |