Where does “thorntail” come from?
thorntail (English) comes from English thorn, from Middle English þorn, from Old English þorn, from Proto-West Germanic þorn, from Proto-Germanic þurnuz, from Proto-Indo-European tr̥nós, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ter- — strong, firm, stiff, rigid; rigid, stiff; to...
thorntail (English): Any of various hummingbirds of the genus...
Definitions
- Any of various hummingbirds of the genus...
Ancestry of “thorntail”, step by step
thorntail traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English thorn
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | thorn | A sharp protective spine of a plant; Any shrub or... |
| 2 | Middle English | þorn | Alternative form of thorn |
| 3 | Old English | þorn | thorn; thorny bush; the runic character ᚦ; the... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | þorn | thorn, briar |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | þurnuz | thorn, briar |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | tr̥nós | sharp, stiff |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ter- | strong, firm, stiff, rigid; rigid, stiff; to... |
via English Tail
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Tail | A Chinese constellation coinciding with the tail of Scorpius, one of the 28 lunar mansions and the tail of Azure Dragon |
| 2 | Middle English | tayl | A tail; The back side or reverse of a creature; A... |
| 3 | Old English | tæġl | tail |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | taglą | hair; ponytail; hair of a tail; tail |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | doḱ- | hair of the tail |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | deḱ- | take; perceive |