Where does “hamstring” come from?
hamstring (Swedish) comes from Swedish hamstra, from Swedish hamster, from German hamster, from Middle High German hamster, from Old High German hamustro, from Old East Slavic хомѣсторъ, from Proto-Slavic *xoměstorъ — hamster.
hamstring (Swedish): hoarding, the act of gathering or hoarding...
Definitions
- hoarding, the act of gathering or hoarding...
Ancestry of “hamstring”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | hamstra | to hoard or gather, to stock up, to collect (large) stocks for later use (like a hamster hides food in its cheeks) |
| 2 | Swedish | hamster | a hamster |
| 3 | German | hamster | singular imperative of hamstern |
| 4 | Middle High German | hamster | hamster |
| 5 | Old High German | hamustro | hamster |
| 6 | Old East Slavic | хомѣсторъ | hamster |
| 7 | Proto-Slavic | *xoměstorъ | hamster |