Where does “straw” come from?
Straw comes from Old English strēaw, from Proto-Germanic strawą, from Proto-Indo-European strew-, ultimately from the root ster- meaning to spread or scatter.
straw (English): A dried stalk of a cereal plant; Such dried...
Definitions
- A dried stalk of a cereal plant; Such dried...
Ancestry of “straw”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | straw | The remaining plant material after cultivation;... |
| 2 | Old English | strēaw | straw |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | strau | straw |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | strawą | straw |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | strew- | to spread, to strew |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sterh₃- | to spread, extend, stretch out |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ster- | sterile, infertile |