Where does “trap” come from?
Trap comes from Old English træppe, which derives from Proto-Indo-European drem-, a root meaning to run or step.
trap (English): A machine or other device designed to catch (and sometimes kill) animals, either by holding them in a container, or by catching hold of part of the body
Definitions
- A machine or other device designed to catch (and sometimes kill) animals, either by holding them in a container, or by catching hold of part of the body
Ancestry of “trap”, step by step
trap traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English trappe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | trappe | trap |
| 2 | Old English | træppe | a trap |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | trap- | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | dreb- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | der- | to split, to separate; to tear, to crack, to... |
via Swedish trapp
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | trapp | stairs, stairway, staircase, steps; any species... |
| 2 | Middle Low German | trappe | stair, step |
| 3 | Old Saxon | *trappa | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *trappā | staircase, stairs |
via English trapezius
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | trapezius | A large vertebrate skeletal muscle divided into... |