Where does “cheval du diable” come from?

cheval du diable (French) comes from French diable, from Middle French diable, from Old French deable, from Ecclesiastical Latin diabolus, from Ancient Greek Διάβολος, from Ancient Greek διαβάλλω, from Ancient Greek δῐᾰ-, from Ancient Greek διά — two.

cheval du diable (French): praying mantis

Definitions

  1. praying mantis

Ancestry of “cheval du diable”, step by step

cheval du diable traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via French diable

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchdiabledevil; rogue, devil; hand truck
2Middle Frenchdiabledevil; evil
3Old Frenchdeabledevil
4Ecclesiastical Latindiabolus
5Ancient GreekΔιάβολοςslanderous; libellous
6Ancient Greekδιαβάλλωthrow over or across; set at variance, make a...
7Ancient Greekδῐᾰ-apart; through, across; through; in different...
8Ancient Greekδιάthroughout
9Proto-Indo-Europeandwístwice, doubly; in two
10Proto-Indo-Europeandwóh₁two

via French

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchwhat is owed, money's worth; past participle of...
2Old FrenchdeüAlternative form of deu
3Latindēbēre
4Latinof; concerning; about
5Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
6Latinposteablative singular of postis
7Proto-Italicpostibehind, after
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpóstiafter
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

via French cheval

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchchevalhorse; horsepower; tall and slim woman, beautiful...
2Frenchboiswood; wood, woodland; antler
3Middle Frenchboyswood
4Old Frenchboiswoodland; woods
5Frankishbuskbush; bush, thicket
6Proto-Germanicbuskazbush; thicket
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰuH-to become, grow, appear
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dwóh₁
cheval du diable — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer