Where does “puir” come from?
puir (Scots) comes from Middle English povre, from Old French povre, from Latin pauper, from Latin pavo-pars, from Proto-Indo-European pau- — smallness.
puir (Scots): poor
Ancestry of “puir”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | povre | poor, needy; poor by choice; Afflicted by need... |
| 2 | Old French | povre | poor |
| 3 | Latin | pauper | poor |
| 4 | Latin | pavo-pars | getting little |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pau- | smallness |