Where does “terrier” come from?
terrier (Middle French) comes from Old French chien terrier, from Old French terrier, from Medieval Latin terrarius, from Latin Terra, from Proto-Indo-European ters- — dry.
Ancestry of “terrier”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | chien terrier | terrier dog |
| 2 | Old French | terrier | — |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | terrarius | of earth |
| 4 | Latin | Terra | Terra goddess of the Earth |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ters- | dry |