Etymology Explorer › SwedishWhere does “gråspett” come from? gråspett (Swedish) comes from Swedish grå, from Old Norse grár, from Proto-Germanic grēwaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰreh₁- — to become green, grow; to grow; to green, to grow.
gråspett (Swedish): grey-headed woodpecker, (Picus canus)
Definitions grey-headed woodpecker, (Picus canus) Ancestry of “gråspett”, step by step gråspett traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Swedish grå Step Language Word Meaning 1 Swedish grå grey; boring, dull; with a boring appearance 2 Old Norse grár grey; spiteful 3 Proto-Germanic grēwaz grey 4 Proto-Indo-European ǵʰreh₁- to become green, grow; to grow; to green, to grow
via Swedish spett Step Language Word Meaning 1 Swedish spett a wedge point digging bar, an iron-bar lever (heavy and c. 60 inches long, for punching holes in the ground or moving rocks) 2 Old Norse spettr — 3 Proto-Germanic spihtaz woodpecker 4 Proto-Indo-European (s)peyk- name of a bird; woodpecker; magpie