Where does “threadtail” come from?
threadtail (English) comes from English thread, from Middle English þred, from Old English þrǣd, from Proto-Germanic þrēduz, from Proto-Indo-European treh₁-tu-, from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- — to rub, turn; to drill, pierce.
threadtail (English): Any of various species of damselfly of the genus Nososticta, endemic to Australasia
Definitions
- Any of various species of damselfly of the genus Nososticta, endemic to Australasia
Ancestry of “threadtail”, step by step
threadtail traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English thread
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | thread | A long, thin and flexible form of material,... |
| 2 | Middle English | þred | thread (of twine or fibre) |
| 3 | Old English | þrǣd | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | þrēduz | thread, twisted fibre |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | treh₁-tu- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | terh₁- | to rub, turn; to drill, pierce |
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 |