Where does “whitret” come from?

whitret (English) comes from English rat, from Middle English raat, from Old English ræt, from Old English rætt, from Proto-Germanic rattaz, from Proto-Indo-European Hreh₃d- — to scrape.

whitret (English): A weasel or stoat

Definitions

  1. A weasel or stoat

Ancestry of “whitret”, step by step

whitret traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English rat

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishratA medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus...
2Middle EnglishraatAlternative form of ratte
3Old EnglishrætAlternative form of rætt
4Old Englishrættrat
5Proto-Germanicrattazrat
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreh₃d-to scrape

via English white

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwhiteBright and colourless; reflecting equal...
2Middle Englishwhitwhite, pale, light; wearing white clothes; having...
3Old Englishhwītwhite
4Proto-West Germanichwītwhite
5Proto-Germanichwītazwhite
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱweytosbright; shine; shine; bright
Every word from Proto-Indo-European Hreh₃d- →Every word from Proto-Germanic rattaz →Every word from Old English rætt →
whitret — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer