Where does “stickweed” come from?

stickweed (English) comes from English weed, from Middle English weed, from Old English wēod, from Proto-West Germanic *weud — weed (unwanted plant).

stickweed (English): Any of various unrelated plants that have seeds...

Definitions

  1. Any of various unrelated plants that have seeds...

Ancestry of “stickweed”, step by step

stickweed traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English weed

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishweedAny plant regarded as unwanted at the place...
2Middle Englishweed—
3Old Englishwēodweed
4Proto-West Germanic*weudweed (unwanted plant)

via English stick

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstickAn elongated piece of wood or similar material,...
2Middle Englishstikketwig, branch; kindling, twigs used as a...
3Old Englishsticcastick
4Proto-West Germanic*stikkōstick, pole
Every word from Proto-West Germanic *weud →Every word from Old English wēod →Every word from Middle English weed →