Where does “strey” come from?

strey (Middle English) comes from Middle English straw, from Old English strēaw, from Proto-West Germanic strau, from Proto-Germanic strawą, from Proto-Indo-European strew-, from Proto-Indo-European sterh₃-, from Proto-Indo-European ster- — sterile, infertile.

strey (Middle English): Alternative form of straw

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of straw

Ancestry of “strey”, step by step

strey traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English straw

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishstrawThe remaining plant material after cultivation;...
2Old Englishstrēawstraw
3Proto-West Germanicstraustraw
4Proto-Germanicstrawąstraw
5Proto-Indo-Europeanstrew-to spread, to strew
6Proto-Indo-Europeansterh₃-to spread, extend, stretch out
7Proto-Indo-Europeanster-sterile, infertile

via Anglo-Norman estray

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Anglo-Normanestray
2Old Frenchestraierto wander; to roam
3Latinextravagarito wander beyond
4Latinvagaripresent active infinitive of vagor; to wander,...
5Latinvaguswandering, rambling, strolling; uncertain, vague
6Proto-Italicwagos
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanHwogos

via Old French stray

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchstray
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ster-Every word from Proto-Indo-European sterh₃-Every word from Proto-Indo-European strew-
strey — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer