Where does “spinney” come from?
spinney (English) comes from Middle English spenné, from Middle French espinoye, from Latin spīnētum, from Latin spīna, from Proto-Italic speinā, from Proto-Indo-European spēy- — to stretch; thrive; succeed.
spinney (English): A small copse or wood, especially one planted as...
Definitions
- A small copse or wood, especially one planted as...
Ancestry of “spinney”, step by step
spinney traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English spenné
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | spenné | — |
| 2 | Middle French | espinoye | thorny thicket |
| 3 | Latin | spīnētum | a thorn hedge, a thicket of thorns |
| 4 | Latin | spīna | a thorn or a thorny tree or shrub, such as whitethorn, hawthorn, or blackthorn |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | speinā | thorn |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | spēy- | to stretch; thrive; succeed |
via English spinnaker
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | spinnaker | A supplemental sail to the mainsail, especially a... |