Where does “spindlelegs” come from?

spindlelegs (English) comes from English spindle, from Middle English spyndel, from Old English spinel, from Proto-West Germanic spinnilu, from Proto-West Germanic spinnan, from Proto-Germanic spinnaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)pénh₁-ne-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)penh₁- — to twist; to weave.

spindlelegs (English): A person with long thin legs

Definitions

  1. A person with long thin legs

Ancestry of “spindlelegs”, step by step

spindlelegs traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English spindle

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishspindleA rod used for spinning and then winding natural...
2Middle EnglishspyndelA spindle; An rod that objects revolve around; a...
3Old Englishspinelspindle
4Proto-West Germanicspinniluspindle
5Proto-West Germanicspinnanto spin
6Proto-Germanicspinnanąto spin
7Proto-Indo-European(s)pénh₁-ne-
8Proto-Indo-European(s)penh₁-to twist; to weave

via English legs

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishlegsplural of leg; eleven; viscous streaks left on...
2EnglishlegA limb or appendage that an animal uses for...
3Middle Englishlegleg, limb; shank, shin; leg
4Old Norseleggrleg, stem
5Proto-Germaniclagjazleg, thigh
6Proto-Indo-European(ǝ)lak-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)penh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)pénh₁-ne-Every word from Proto-Germanic spinnaną