Where does “moldwyrm” come from?
moldwyrm (Old English) comes from Old English wyrm, from Old English lēah, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European lewk- — bright; to shine; to see.
moldwyrm (Old English): earthworm
Definitions
- earthworm
Ancestry of “moldwyrm”, step by step
moldwyrm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English wyrm
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | wyrm | creeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,... |
| 2 | Old English | lēah | meadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | lauh | clearing; meadow |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lauhaz | clearing; meadow |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lówkos | clearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lewḱ- | lynx |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |
via Old English molde
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | molde | earth, soil; the earth, world |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | muldō | mould; soil, dirt |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |