Where does “łeeyiʼ chʼosh” come from?

łeeyiʼ chʼosh (Navajo) comes from Navajo łeeyiʼ, from Navajo łeezh, from Proto-Athabaskan łe̓dž — dirt; to plaster with mud.

łeeyiʼ chʼosh (Navajo): earthworm

Definitions

  1. earthworm

Ancestry of “łeeyiʼ chʼosh”, step by step

łeeyiʼ chʼosh traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Navajo łeeyiʼ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajołeeyiʼin the ground, underground, in the soil
2Navajołeezhdirt, dust, soil, ashes
3Proto-Athabaskanłe̓dždirt; to plaster with mud

via Navajo chʼosh

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Navajochʼoshinsect, bug, maggot, worm
Every word from Proto-Athabaskan łe̓džEvery word from Navajo łeezhEvery word from Navajo łeeyiʼ
łeeyiʼ chʼosh — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer