Where does “windstrewn” come from?
windstrewn (English) comes from English strewn, from English strew, from Middle English strewen, from Old English strewian, from Old English strēawian, from Proto-West Germanic *strauwjan, from Proto-Germanic strawjaną, from Proto-Indo-European strowéyeti — sterile, infertile.
windstrewn (English): Strewn by the wind
Definitions
- Strewn by the wind
Ancestry of “windstrewn”, step by step
windstrewn traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English strewn
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | strewn | past participle of strew |
| 2 | English | strew | To distribute objects or pieces of something over... |
| 3 | Middle English | strewen | — |
| 4 | Old English | strewian | Alternative form of strēawian; to strew, scatter |
| 5 | Old English | strēawian | to strew |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | *strauwjan | to strew, to spread out |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | strawjaną | to strew |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | strowéyeti | to strew, to disperse; to spawn |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | strew- | to spread, to strew |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | sterh₃- | to spread, extend, stretch out |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ster- | sterile, infertile |
via English wind
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wind | Real or perceived movement of atmospheric air... |
| 2 | English | farm | A place where agricultural and similar activities... |
| 3 | Middle English | ferme | A lease; the renting of land |
| 4 | Old French | ferme | lease; the land leased; farm |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | ferma | Alternative form of firma |
| 6 | Latin | Firma | tax, tribute |
| 7 | Latin | Firmus | strong, powerful |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | fermos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer-mo-s | holding |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |