Where does “woolsedge” come from?
woolsedge (English) comes from English Wool, from Middle English wolle, from Old English wull, from Proto-West Germanic wullu, from Proto-Germanic wullō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂, from Proto-Indo-European -nós — Creates verbal adjectives from roots.
woolsedge (English): Any of several species of Scirpus related to Scirpus cyperinus with perianth bristles giving a wooly appearance
Definitions
- Any of several species of Scirpus related to Scirpus cyperinus with perianth bristles giving a wooly appearance
Ancestry of “woolsedge”, step by step
woolsedge traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Wool
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Wool | OS grid ref SY8486 |
| 2 | Middle English | wolle | wool coat of sheep, especially when used to make fabric |
| 3 | Old English | wull | wool |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | wullu | wool |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wullō | wool |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂ | wool |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -nós | Creates verbal adjectives from roots |
via English sedge
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sedge | Any plant of the genus "Carex", the true sedges,... |
| 2 | Middle English | segge | A sedge; The sliced stems of sedges; A person; an... |
| 3 | Old English | seċġ | sedge; man |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | sagi | retainer, warrior; sedge |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | sagjaz | retainer, warrior; sedge |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷ- | to follow; to see; to say |