Where does “plow” come from?
plow (Middle English) comes from Old English plōh, from Old Frisian plōg, from Proto-Germanic plōgaz, from Proto-Celtic ɸlowyos, from Proto-Indo-European plówyos, from Proto-Indo-European plew- — to fly, flow, run.
Ancestry of “plow”, step by step
plow traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English plōh
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | plōh | hide of land, ploughland |
| 2 | Old Frisian | plōg | troop, common interest |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | plōgaz | plough |
| 4 | Proto-Celtic | ɸlowyos | rudder |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | plówyos | ship |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | plew- | to fly, flow, run |
via Old Norse plógr
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | plógr | plough, plow |