Where does “gorfou” come from?
gorfou (French) comes from Faroese geirfuglur, from Old Norse geirfugl, from Old Norse fugl, from Old Norse fogl, from Proto-Germanic fuglaz, from Proto-Germanic fluglaz, from Proto-Germanic fleuganą, from Proto-Indo-European plewk- — to fly, flow, run.
gorfou (French): crested penguin
Definitions
- crested penguin
Ancestry of “gorfou”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Faroese | geirfuglur | great auk (Pinguinus impennis), an extinct bird, which was observed 1808 for the last time in the Faroes |
| 2 | Old Norse | geirfugl | great auk; gyrfalcon |
| 3 | Old Norse | fugl | Alternative form of fogl |
| 4 | Old Norse | fogl | bird |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | fuglaz | bird |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | fluglaz | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | fleuganą | to fly |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | plewk- | to fly, flow, run; to splash, to flap with hands |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | plew- | to fly, flow, run |