Where does “witchgrass” come from?
witchgrass (English) comes from English Witch, from Middle English wicche, from Old English wiċċe, from Proto-Germanic wikkōną, from Proto-Indo-European wik-néh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European weyk-, from Proto-Indo-European wey- — to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...
witchgrass (English): Any of several grasses, of the genus "Panicum",...
Definitions
- Any of several grasses, of the genus "Panicum",...
Ancestry of “witchgrass”, step by step
witchgrass traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Witch
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Witch | A person (now usually particularly a woman) who uses magical or similar supernatural powers to influence or predict events, particularly one with malicious motives |
| 2 | Middle English | wicche | witch, wizard, sorceror; pagan, heretic,... |
| 3 | Old English | wiċċe | (female) witch |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wikkōną | to practice sorcery |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wik-néh₂- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | weyk- | to separate, to choose; to contain, to envelop;... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wey- | to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;... |
via English grass
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | grass | Any plant of the family Poaceae, characterized by... |
| 2 | Middle English | gras | A grass; Any plant; especially a herbaceous one;... |
| 3 | Old English | græs | grass |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | gras | grass |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | grasą | grass |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰreh₁- | to become green, grow; to grow; to green, to grow |