Where does “tapirs” come from?
tapirs (English) comes from English tapir, from French tapir, from Middle French tapir, from Old French tapir, from Frankish tappijan, from Frankish tappō, from Proto-Germanic tappô, from Proto-Indo-European deh₂p- — to share, divide.
tapirs (English): plural of tapir
Ancestry of “tapirs”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | tapir | Any one of the species of large odd-toed... |
| 2 | French | tapir | to hide; tapir |
| 3 | Middle French | tapir | — |
| 4 | Old French | tapir | — |
| 5 | Frankish | tappijan | to close, shut in, lock up |
| 6 | Frankish | tappō | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | tappô | plug; tap |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂p- | to sacrifice; to lose |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂- | to share, divide |