Where does “oruga” come from?
oruga (Old Spanish) comes from Vulgar Latin uruca, from Latin eruca, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer(s)-uk-eh₂, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰers- — stiff; surprised.
Ancestry of “oruga”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vulgar Latin | uruca | — |
| 2 | Latin | eruca | caterpillar; colewort, rocket |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰer(s)-uk-eh₂ | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰers- | stiff; surprised |