Where does “toothstick” come from?

toothstick (English) comes from English tooth, from Middle English toth, from Old English tōþ, from Proto-Germanic tanþs, from Proto-Indo-European h₃dónts, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- — to eat.

Ancestry of “toothstick”, step by step

toothstick traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English tooth

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtoothA hard, calcareous structure present in the mouth...
2Middle EnglishtothAlternative form of tothe
3Old Englishtōþtooth
4Proto-Germanictanþstooth
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃dóntstooth
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ed-to eat

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-Indo-European h₁ed- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃dónts →Every word from Proto-Germanic tanþs →