Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “spinetail” come from?

spinetail (English) comes from English spine, from Middle English spyne, from Old French espine, from Latin spīna, from Proto-Italic speinā, from Proto-Indo-European spēy- — to stretch; thrive; succeed.

spinetail (English): Any of several species of swifts of Acanthylis,...

Definitions

  1. Any of several species of swifts of Acanthylis,...

Ancestry of “spinetail”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishspineThe series of bones situated at the back from the...
2Middle EnglishspyneA spine
3Old Frenchespinespine; backbone; spine; spike
4Latinspīna—
5Proto-Italicspeinā—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanspēy-to stretch; thrive; succeed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European spēy- →