Where does “cú mèo” come from?
cú mèo (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese cú, from French coup, from Old French colp, from Latin colpus, from Ancient Greek κόλπος, from Proto-Indo-European kʷelp-, from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- — to turn.
cú mèo (Vietnamese): a true owl
Definitions
- a true owl
Ancestry of “cú mèo”, step by step
cú mèo traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Vietnamese cú
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vietnamese | cú | an owl; hoot; to knuckle one's head |
| 2 | French | coup | blow, hit, strike; fast and instantaneous action;... |
| 3 | Old French | colp | strike; hit |
| 4 | Latin | colpus | stroke; strike; hit |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | κόλπος | bosom, lap; a fold in fabric around the bosom;... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷelp- | to bend; to curve, arch |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷel- | to turn |
via Vietnamese mèo
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vietnamese | mèo | cat; meow |