Where does “watchdog” come from?
Watchdog derives from English watch and Middle English dogge, from Old English docga, ultimately from Proto-Germanic wakjaną and Proto-Indo-European weǵ-, meaning to be lively or awake.
watchdog (English): a guard dog; An individual or group that monitors...
Definitions
- a guard dog; An individual or group that monitors...
Ancestry of “watchdog”, step by step
watchdog traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English dog
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | dog | A mammal, "Canis familiaris" or "Canis lupus... |
| 2 | English | dogshit | Dog excrement; Something disgusting, abominable,... |
| 3 | English | shit | Solid excretory product evacuated from the... |
| 4 | Middle Dutch | schite | — |
| 5 | Old Dutch | skīta | — |
| 6 | Old Saxon | skiti | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | skītaz | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱeyd- | to shade; to cut off; to part with, separate, cut... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱēy- | to shine; to shimmer; shadow; luster, gloss,... |
| 10 | Proto-Germanic | skaidą | separation, distinction |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | skÁit- | to cut, part, spearate, divide; to cut, part,... |
via English watch
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | watch | A portable or wearable timepiece; The act of... |
| 2 | English | puppy | A young dog, especially before sexual maturity; A... |
| 3 | English | puppie | Obsolete form of puppy |
| 4 | Middle French | poupée | doll, toy |
| 5 | Old French | poupée | — |
| 6 | Latin | pupa | girl, little girl; doll, puppet; pupa |
| 7 | Latin | pupus | a boy, a child; a puppet; the pupil of the eye |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₂w- | few, little; smallness |