Where does “spittlebug” come from?
spittlebug (English) comes from English spittle, from English spit, from Middle English spit, from Middle English despit, from Old French despit, from Latin dēspectus, from Latin dēspiciō, from Latin dē- — afterwards, post; by, at.
spittlebug (English): Any of various small insects of the superfamily...
Definitions
- Any of various small insects of the superfamily...
Ancestry of “spittlebug”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | spittle | Spit, usually frothy and of a milky coloration;... |
| 2 | English | spit | A thin metal or wooden rod on which meat is... |
| 3 | Middle English | spit | — |
| 4 | Middle English | despit | — |
| 5 | Old French | despit | — |
| 6 | Latin | dēspectus | — |
| 7 | Latin | dēspiciō | — |
| 8 | Latin | dē- | — |
| 9 | Latin | dē | — |
| 10 | Latin | post | behind; after, since, besides, except; behind,... |
| 11 | Latin | poste | ablative singular of postis |
| 12 | Proto-Italic | posti | — |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | pósti | — |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | pós | afterwards, post; by, at |