Where does “atorsceaþa” come from?

atorsceaþa (Old English) comes from Old English ātor, from Proto-Germanic *aitr, from Proto-Germanic aitrą, from Proto-Indo-European h₂oyd- — abscess; tumor, abscess.

atorsceaþa (Old English): a "venemous destroyer," used to describe the dragon in Beowulf

Definitions

  1. a "venemous destroyer," used to describe the dragon in Beowulf

Ancestry of “atorsceaþa”, step by step

atorsceaþa traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English ātor

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishātorpoison
2Proto-Germanic*aitr—
3Proto-Germanicaitrąpoison; pus
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂oyd-abscess; tumor, abscess

via Old English sceaþa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishsceaþaone who injures; enemy, ravager; warrior; injury
2Proto-Germanicskaþôdamage, scathe; one who causes damage; injurer
3Proto-Indo-Europeansket-to injure
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂oyd- →Every word from Proto-Germanic aitrą →Every word from Proto-Germanic *aitr →