Where does “spiderwisp” come from?

spiderwisp (English) comes from English spider, from Middle English spiþre, from Old English spīþra, from Proto-West Germanic *spinþrijō, from Proto-Indo-European (s)penh₁- — to twist; to weave.

spiderwisp (English): Any of species Cleome gynandra (syn. Gynandropsis gynandra), of family Cleomaceae, native to Africa but widely cultivated as a vegetable

Definitions

  1. Any of species Cleome gynandra (syn. Gynandropsis gynandra), of family Cleomaceae, native to Africa but widely cultivated as a vegetable

Ancestry of “spiderwisp”, step by step

spiderwisp traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English spider

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishspiderAny of various eight-legged, predatory...
2Middle EnglishspiþreA spider
3Old Englishspīþraspider
4Proto-West Germanic*spinþrijōspider
5Proto-Indo-European(s)penh₁-to twist; to weave

via English wisp

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwispA small bundle, as of straw or other like...
2Middle EnglishwispeAlternative form of wyspe
3Old Englishwisp
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)penh₁-Every word from Proto-West Germanic *spinþrijōEvery word from Old English spīþra